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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26882368">All Smashed Up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xboxfanboy73/pseuds/xboxfanboy73'>xboxfanboy73</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Super Smash Brothers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Angst and Humor, Background Het, Background Relationships, Blood and Violence, Crossover, Crossovers &amp; Fandom Fusions, Drama, Enemies to Friends, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, Friends to Enemies, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Rivalry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:42:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>56,965</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26882368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/xboxfanboy73/pseuds/xboxfanboy73</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Battle Royale tournament ends, the All Stars have nowhere else to go. Master Hand offers support until they can get back on their feet, but how will the All Stars and Smashers get along while sharing the same world?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a passion project of mine to hopefully breathe some more life into the SSBxPSASBR fandom. My favorite fighting games of all time are Battle Royale and Smash Bros, so it makes me sad to see that there isn't a lot of fics for this crossover anywhere. I want to do my part as a fan to pay tribute to, imo, the best fighting games ever made.</p><p>I want to recommend "A Brawl to End Them All" by MattheJ1 from ff.net, to anybody who is also dying for more fics from this fandom. It's a 30k+ word fic that, imo, is the best in this fandom, and he definitely shows how great a narrative between these two franchises can be.</p><p>Thanks for taking time out of your day to check this out!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Polygon Man's POV</p><p>Never in a million years would I have imagined that my brethren and I would be in the predicament that we are in now... A laughing stock among the community that we swore domination over. The PlayStation All Stars are who we are; Kings and queens of the greatest gaming brand of all time. And yet, we have been forced to lick the boots of our competitor ever since our attempt to beat them at their own game.</p><p>It has been eight years since I started the project with a solid foundation. My plan was to borrow their formula, and do it <em>better</em>. Nintendo and their irritating Smash Brothers competition would be taken care of for good. But once I announced my plan to the world, something unexpected happened. The world turned against us. People seemed to have forgotten the love they had for us, and branded us as imposters, copycats, cowards, wannabees, losers, rejects, and worst of all… <em>failures</em>. The PlayStation brand and everything we had accomplished as individuals, was looked at as a <em>joke</em> compared to our rivals.</p><p>Despite the backlash, I proceeded to fund the Battle Royale tournament in faith of a miracle. That was all we could hope for at that point. But like many lessons in life, one must eventually learn that miracles tend to not manifest when it is needed the most. Instead, it leaves the desirer cold and gray, and that is what we were for so long. Believe me, I tried to make my adored creation endure, even when ticket sales were no longer profitable. I kept the tournament going for years, in support of the few noble souls that were loyal to my brand. However, the final nail in the coffin was when the fifth season of the Smash Brothers tournament was announced by Master Hand. It was dubbed "Ultimate," a term which I can only assume was used to describe Master Hand's diligence for unity and harmony. Indeed, his beloved new project brought together an unfathomable amount of beings from vastly unique worlds, quickly becoming the largest tournament ever known to man. For us, that cursed word "Ultimate" was a synonym for "defeat."</p><p>After that, there was nothing but dead silence in my stadiums that used to have fans. No energy left in my warriors that used to have <em>passion</em> for what they did. And perhaps the most devastating feat: Not a single dime was made in the following year after Smash Brothers Ultimate was announced. We collectively agreed that the night of December 7, 2018, was the night that we had been dismissed from hope. Though… perhaps one could argue that defeat was bestowed upon us the moment I made Battle Royale known to the world.</p><p>In the year of 2019, I filed for bankruptcy and the Battle Royale tournament had officially closed its doors. I had no funds to support the palace that my fighters used as an abode. No funds to support the stages or PlayStation landmarks that once possessed life within them. Our world… the world of PlayStation, had been rung out like a wet towel. My warriors had begun talk of going their separate ways, back to their own worlds. Though I refuse to tell any of them out of pride, my greatest fear was not losing what I had created. My greatest fear was losing what I had become apart of. These beings that I previously harbored jealousy for, had become the family that I never had. I <em>refused </em>to let them walk away. So I performed the only selfless act that I ever did in my entire existence… I had a meeting with Master Hand.</p><p>I talked to the overseer of the very organization that I hated more than what the mind could comprehend. ...And I asked him for support. I forced myself to beg from the hand that I once tried to chop off. I did it for the sake of my family.</p><hr/><p>Master Hand's POV</p><p>Was I surprised when Polygon Man asked for my help? Well, no. Why would I be? What emotion <em>should</em> I have? Should I be joyful that my long time nemesis has surrendered himself? Or should I have sympathy for him and his pupils, knowing that they have nowhere else to go? It all depends on how I choose to approach the subject. I wish I could have gave Polygon Man my advice before he launched Battle Royale.</p><p>See, Super Smash Brothers is much more sophisticated than what that man believed. He thought that if he simply used a copy and paste method for his own tournament, then that would garner him the success that we have worked so hard for. <em>That</em> is where he made his mistake. He forgot one crucial ingredient to my recipe. Until he can figure out what that ingredient is, he will never share in the success that my competition has had for years and years to come. No one will for that matter.</p><p>Do not think of what I have done as treacherous or even prideful. I've decided to help my rival so that he may see what separates us as deities; I am motivated by the pursuit of greatness, while Polygon Man is motivated by the pursuit of dominance. To some, the two words may seem identical, and they are to an extent, except for one thing that makes them different enough. I hope that by the time Polygon Man and his children have composed themselves, he will be able to decipher what that difference is. It is the key to future success.</p><p>Of course, I could've denied his request, and let him and what he had done fade into obscurity… but I see a glimmer of light in his being. While he and his children are visitors to my world, I hope that light decides to shine forth from within him. For anyone, like Polygon Man, who I see a potential future in, no matter what ill feelings they may harbor, I am always willing to lend a hand.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Week 1: Welcome to Nintendo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I don't think I'm the guy you're looking for."</p><p>"Oh, but of <em>course</em> you are Ratchet! You show the courage and dedication that the others just don't seem to have these days."</p><p>Ratchet drug out a groan from the back of his throat. Why was he always the one to have things constantly put on his furry shoulders? In this case, the weight of an entire brand image on his furry shoulders. Polygon Man told him about his agreement with Master Hand to let the All Stars stay in the Smash universe until they can get on their feet again. He desperately wanted Ratchet to be the ringleader for the group while he stayed behind the scenes to figure out how to breathe life back into the Battle Royale tournament.</p><p>"Why don't you get Kratos? He pretty much <em>always</em> has the kinda energy you're looking for. Besides, he was the original mascot for Battle Royale."</p><p>"Hmm, you're exactly correct, which is the reason why I <em>don't</em> want him representing us to the Smashers. I want us to make temporary allies, not temporary enemies." Polygon Man was right. Kratos would probably just end up trying to yank everyone's soul out of their body.</p><p>Ratchet threw his hands up to the air in defeat, knowing that there was no squirming his way out of this one. "Fine, I'll do it. Just don't expect anything amazing out of me. I'm just going to show up to handle business, and that's it."</p><p>"That is all I ask of you, my son. Together, you and I will turn our brand around, and we may even make some new fans from Nintendo's side. We will be successful. I can feel it in my core."</p><p>Ratchet rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's what you said when Battle Royale first started. Look where we are now."</p><p>"BAH! Silence! I will go alert the others so they can begin preparations for the trip."</p><hr/><p>One Week Later</p><p>After a long eight hour flight, the All Stars finally entered the Metro Kingdom, and they were greeted by a stunning panorama of the bustling land. It was a lovely cityscape that grew more surreal with every second the plane descended into New Donk's vicinity. Even though it was all a concrete jungle, so much personality burst forth from the streets, skyscrapers, and even the clouds that reflected the morning sun.</p><p>From the rooftops, citizens watched the flying hunk of metal make its way down to the New Donk Airport. The landing was smooth, and everyone was eager to get out and stretch their legs, but before anyone did so, Ratchet rushed to the front to grab their attention.</p><p>"Alright everybody. Before we hop off the plane, I just wanna remind all of us about our goal here. Super Smash Bros. is being awfully nice for letting us stay with them, so we should have the right attitude when introducing ourselves. We should-"</p><p>"Why should <em>WE</em> have to bow the knee to <em>THEM</em>," Kratos interrupted. "After all, they are inferior to us in every way one could fathom."</p><p>"See, Kratos, that's the kinda attitude I'm talking about. We can't just waltz up in their territory thinking we're better than them!"</p><p>"Even though it <em>is</em> true," Radec chimed in.</p><p>Ratchet facepalmed. "Even if you <em>think</em> it's true, we've got to treat them like our equals."</p><p>"I'm sorry. <em>Who</em> suddenly put you in charge over all of us," Sly asked with a hand raised as if he were in a classroom.</p><p>"It's not that I'm in charge or anything. It's just that Polygon Man saw me as the best spokesperson for PlayStation."</p><p>Everyone looked at each other for a second, then burst out laughing in Ratchet's face.</p><p>Sly wiped a tear from his eye, and held his abdomen that hurt from laughing so hard. "Oh boy. It's gonna be a looooong vacation."</p><p>Ratchet gritted his teeth as he watched everyone leave the plane, completely ignoring whatever he had to say. "HEY! G-guys! I'm not done talking to you yet! Oh forget it!" He huffed and jumped out of the plane and onto New Donk City soil. He felt a hand rest on his furry head, and looked up to see Drake smiling at him.</p><p>"Take it easy on yourself, kiddo. You never wanna let them see you buckle. That's one of the keys to leadership. You wanna soda?"</p><p>It felt good to know that at least not <em>everyone</em> thought he was a complete joke. Ratchet nodded and accepted the advice, as well as the drink. "Sure, and thanks."</p><p>Drake tossed him the Sprite, which Ratchet caught in mid-air. "You enjoy that. It's cranberry flavor." The treasure hunter then began heading out toward the airport interior like everyone else.</p><p>The All Stars were immediately met by news reporters, a few celebrities, and even Mayor Pauline herself. She was in her usual flamboyant red dress, and introduced herself to the nearest All Star, who was Radec. "Welcome to New Donk City, the city that never leaps! We are pleased to have each and every one of you as visitors to the world of Smash!"</p><p>Drake playfully pushed Radec out of the way and took it upon himself to introduce the visitors, as well as flirt with the mayor while the opportunity was there.</p><p>"Nice to meet you, darling, my name's Nathan. Nathan Drake. But you can call me <em>whatever</em> you'd like…" He took her left hand and gently placed a swift kiss upon it, earning a slight blush which she tried to conceal. He then proceeded to introduce the rest of the All Stars that hadn't already wandered off to other places in the vicinity. She nodded at everyone of the warriors with her famous smile. "...And last but not least, we have this guy over here… uh… what's your name again?"</p><p>"You forgot? Just ask your mom. She should remember after last night," Dante replied, obviously not in the mood for Drake's jokes.</p><p>"Whoa-hoaaa! Sounds like somebody's soiled their diapers. Do we have to put you back in timeout baby boy?"</p><p>Dante rolled his eyes and moved along with his luggage, unamused by the comical treasure hunter, and desperate for some rest and relaxation. "Where's your nearest bar," The demon hunter asked a random airline worker.</p><p>"Right this way sir. I'll give you a map that you can use to navigate around New Donk City. It's quite the place to be!"</p><p>Meanwhile, Ratchet made his way over to Mayor Pauline to personally introduce himself while the others continued to trek into the airport lobby. "Hi, I'm Ratchet, the spokesperson for PlayStation All Stars. This is my pal, Clank."</p><p>"It is an honor to meet you, Mayor Pauline." Clank greeted.</p><p>"No, It is an honor to meet <em>you</em> Agent Clank!"</p><p>"WHAT?!" Ratchet had to do a double-take. He hadn't heard that name in forever, and with it came some bad memories he'd rather forget. "There hasn't been a new episode of that show in YEARS! You still remember it?!"</p><p>"Why, of <em>course</em> I do! I'm a huge fan! It's so hard to find good content on television these days, so I just find myself watching the reruns. And by the way, I just <em>adore</em> your performance as Jeeves, Ratchet. You pull off the whole 'valet driver' thing so well!" Pauline meant well, but Ratchet died a little inside when he realized that people would still only remember him as a nobody, instead of the things he actually accomplished, such as saving the galaxy multiple times. For some reason, people seemed to forget that. Ratchet opened his mouth to speak again, but was drowned out by the conversation that his companion and the mayor were having about the show.</p><p>He decided to leave and meet everyone else in the airport lobby, figuring that even his best friend had already forgotten about him in that moment. In the lobby, Ratchet found more reporters, a crowd of fans, and even a DJ performing in celebration of their arrival. Banners that displayed "Welcome PlayStation," were hung up on the walls, and balloons that were comically modeled after each All Star were floating around the room. A Zeus themed balloon bumped into the same immortal it was modeled after, who was standing towards the middle of the lobby anticipating people to gawk at him. Zeus took a moment to study the quality of the object, as the wind smothered the balloon across his upper body. <em>"Such poor craftsmanship. I cannot tell if this is intended to be blasphemy or worship."</em></p><p>"Hey Ratchet! Ratchet!" Some random dude hollered at him from across the room. "I love you man! Can I get you to autograph my toolbox?!"</p><p>As the Lombax began making his way over to the fan, a sharp flash of white temporary blinded him. Irritated, Ratchet rubbed his eyes and turned his frustration toward the reporter that took the picture. "Would ya mind giving me a little heads up next time?"</p><p>The reporter ignored his question and proceeded to annoy him. "Ratchet, how do you think you and the All Stars will interact with members from the Smash Tournament?" Ratchet's shoulders sunk while he reminded himself of what Polygon Man expected out of him. He cleared his throat and began to paint as good of a picture as he could of his fellow members.</p><p>Across the lobby, PaRappa could barely contain his enthusiasm for the entire scene right now. The music was bumpin', hips were hoppin', and he was so glad to feel welcome in a whole new world of adventure. "WOW! These cats sure know how to throw a party! Let's kick it!" PaRappa started breakdancing smack in the middle of the lobby, instantly gaining the attention of everyone nearby.</p><p>The DJ saw this as an opportunity to turn the music all the way up to full volume; letting the bass from the 4/4 beat boom throughout the entirety of the airport. All the bystanders gathered in the middle, and joined PaRappa in hand wavin' and booty shakin'.</p><p>Isaac Clarke stood against the wall in the corner of the crowded room, not necessarily wanting to "shake what his momma gave him" like everyone else. He was a little more reserved than the other All Stars. However, he still enjoyed the sight of everyone enjoying themselves. But something about the scene threw him off, and it didn't take him long to figure out what was wrong. Mayor Pauline and many others were waiting at the airport to welcome them, but there were no Smashers to greet them. Isaac wasn't naive. He knew that they wouldn't be totally welcome to their rivals' world. He just didn't think that it would be to the point where absolutely nobody would bother to show up. He turned his focus toward Raiden, who had been confronted by a fan. Raiden was quiet. Quieter than what he would normally be. And Isaac knew exactly the reason why, but wouldn't dare approach the blade-wielding soldier about it. At least not for now.</p><p>After about another ten minutes of celebration, Mayor Pauline shattered the attention of everyone and calmed the scene down when she cleared her throat. All eyes were on her as she made an announcement.</p><p>"Attention all All Stars. It pleases me to once again clarify how grateful we are to have you as visitors to the Smash World. I ask that you enjoy yourselves and prepare for the meet and greet at Smash Mansion tonight. Most of the Super Smash Bros. veterans will be there to welcome you and show you the ropes. I also would like to thank the airport staff, as well as everyone else that showed up to make this a wonderful first day for our guests. Thank all of you." Pauline smiled, gave one last nod, and stepped away from the center.</p><p>"God, what a woman," exhaled Drake, who couldn't help but to explore her body as she walked out of the lobby. He elbowed Sweet Tooth who was standing next to him, studying all the abundant types of candy shops that they had in the Metro Kingdom. "Hey, Sweet Pea, got any magic tricks you can teach me to woo her over with?"</p><p>Sweet Tooth remained looking at his brochure as he responded. "The tricks I know wouldn't flatter her. Instead, they would make her regret ever having the physical capability of experiencing pain."</p><p>Drake winced. "Guess I forgot who I was talking to."</p><p>"You never know, buddy. Some women are into that kinda stuff."</p><p>"Ha! Yeah Sweetie, I don't think she's <em>that</em> type of broad. I'm gonna go find a place to freshen up." Drake patted the clown on the back, and began heading out to begin his first strides in New Donk.</p><hr/><p>Dante downed the last swig of alcohol while he studied a brochure that showcased all the major locations in the Smash universe. The airline worker made good on his word, and took the demon hunter to a rather nice bar that was just outside of the airport. While he indulged in the sweet beverage, Dante took advantage of the couple of hours he had before he would have to go to the meet and greet, and studied up on the world that he and his coworkers found themselves in. His focus, however, was cut off when a familiar figure sat in a chair next to him.</p><p>"What would you like, sir," the bartender asked the new customer.</p><p>"I'll take whatever this gentleman next to me is having."</p><p>Dante chuckled. "You sure you can handle my kinda taste, Emmett?" He took his bottle and faced the label towards Emmett, which had an unsettling depiction of snakes crawling out of a man's throat.</p><p>"Hmph. Boy, that ain't nothing compared to what we had in White Sands."</p><p>"So, care to explain why you're stalking me?"</p><p>"Stalking? Man, you think you're the only one who needed a drink after being stuck on that damn plane for eight hours with DAXTER of all people?"</p><p>Dante couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "I thought for sure Radec was gonna shoot him after he started singing ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall."</p><p>"Ha! ...Well, I'm curious to see how this plan of Polygon Man's is gonna work out."</p><p>Dante groaned, thinking about what their leader dragged them into. "Pfft. I saw something like this coming years ago after Battle Royale first started. Polygon Man just doesn't want to admit defeat. I'm just along for the ride."</p><p>"Wouldn't you say he admitted defeat since he asked Master Hand for help?"</p><p>The demon hunter paused and thought for a second. That giant, purple, floating head was the most prideful being he had ever met, and to think that he actually <em>asked</em> his bitter rival for a pick-me-up was mind boggling. Dante knew that Polygon Man had something up his sleev- wait. He doesn't have arms. Something up his <em>ears</em> maybe? Regardless, he had some sort of plan.</p><p>"Nah, because he's still gonna try and flip it in his favor somehow," Dante replied. "If it works, cool. If it doesn't work, that's cool too. I don't really care."</p><p>"Well, frankly, I'm confident that this will be a good experience for <em>all</em> of us."</p><p>The bartender came with a new round of fresh drinks for both All Stars. Emmett raised his bottle towards Dante. "To new beginnings."</p><p>Dante nodded. "To new beginnings."</p><p>The two clinked their glasses and began putting in work on their new drinks. Emmett immediately started coughing from the liquor, which earned a humorous look from Dante.</p><p>Emmett raised his finger before his fellow fighter could even say anything. "Don't you even start," he choked out.</p><p>"Start? Heh, I've already finished it."</p><hr/><p>Later that evening, the All Stars met with Polygon Man to get settled into where they will be staying, which is the Donktastic Manor; the latest and greatest grand hotel in New Donk City. As everyone made their way into the hotel, they were greeted by Dr. Wright, who was assigned by Mayor Pauline to guide the All Stars around the Metro Kingdom. Dr. Wright greeted everybody and passed out pamphlets that gave info on their room number, as well as who they would be bunking with.</p><p>Everyone was to share a room with at least one person. Dante with Kratos. Nariko with Kat. Evil Cole would have a room with Raiden, and the list went on. Some were happy with who they were bunked with, but not everyone felt the same way. ...And that's where Daxter comes in...</p><p>"PRINCESS PLUMP?!" Daxter screamed in terror when he saw his name next to hers. The ottsel leaped onto the princess' chest, and yelled in her face. "I AM <em>NOT</em> FOOD! DO YOU HEAR ME?! DON'T EVEN <em>THINK</em> ABOUT TRYING TO EAT ME FOR DINNER!"</p><p>Fat Princess turned her head away in pride. "Silly rat! I wouldn't eat you anyway! There's no meat on your bones!"</p><p>Now that Daxter's self esteem was knocked down a couple of notches, he hopped off her chest and back next to his "sidekick," Jak.</p><p>"Damn. She didn't have to go that far." He raised his arm and tried to flex, but was disappointed to see nothing but hanging flab where a bicep should be.</p><p>"Relax, Daxter," Jak comforted. "I'll be right next to your room."</p><p>"Fantastic," Daxter responded sarcastically. "At least you'll be able to hear the sound of her SWALLOWING ME WHOLE next door! Anyway, who are you shacked up with?"</p><p>"Sackboy…" Jak sighed. "How… <em>exciting</em>…," sarcasm oozed from his tone of voice, which was already monotone to begin with.</p><p>PaRappa took a look at his pamphlet, and his flat ears shot up in joy. "Gee whiz, Clank! We're gonna be roomates!"</p><p>Clank nodded his head and turned towards Ratchet. "Which room will you be staying in, Ratchet?"</p><p>"He will not be needing a hotel room," Polygon Man stated.</p><p>"Err… <em>why</em> not?" Ratchet inquired, unsure of what that previous statement meant for him.</p><p>"Because I have secured a room for you in the Smash Mansion, courtesy of Master Hand," Polygon Man replied.</p><p>"WHAT?!" Evil Cole barked. "Why the hell does this talking furball get to stay in the Mansion, but <em>I</em> don't?"</p><p>"Umm, it's <em>we</em>," Kat corrected, chastising Cole for his selfishness.</p><p>"The answer is very simple, one that you all should already know. It is because he is the SPOKESPERSON! I want him around the Smashers as much as possible so he can proactively build up our image."</p><p>"Polygon Man," Nariko spoke up. "<em>S</em><em>urely</em> you have more faith in your people? As noble of a warrior that Ratchet is, do you sincerely believe that <em>he</em> is the <em>only</em> one that should have a voice for us?"</p><p>"Yes I do. I do not ask that you agree with me. I only ask that you trust me. Having more than one spokesperson would not prove helpful. Instead, it will be nothing but a mess! And to be clear, Nariko my dear daughter, I would not want you as an image for our brand. I have seen how you are when you get angry... and it is <em>indeed</em> true that you are the female Kratos."</p><p>Everyone audibly gasped.</p><p>"DAMN! Now <em>you</em> didn't have to go <em>that </em>far!" Daxter exclaimed.</p><p>Nariko, shocked at the statement, grimaced and turned to go to her room. She grabbed Kat's hand and led her along. "Come, sister. We are leaving."</p><p>Polygon Man looked dumbfounded at everyone. "I beg your pardon? It was a joke! I have been told I should joke more often."</p><p>"<em>Tooooo</em> far," Kuro said while shaking his head.</p><p>"Here's the thing," Ratchet interrupted. "You never asked me if I wanted to stay in a mansion by myself with a buncha people I don't know."</p><p>"Be quiet! You surrendered your freedom of choice when you agreed to your role. Now everyone go get ready for the meet and greet. I have prepared formal clothing for each of you in your respective rooms. Let us make our first night a success, instead of a disaster. <em>Please</em>."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1. Between Cole and Evil Cole, I decided to choose his evil version for this story, because I think writing him will be a little more interesting! So even when I write "Cole", please note that I'm referring to his evil version.</p><p>2. If you wanna know the song that the DJ played at the airport, look up "Le Knight Club - Boogie Shell." It's the best EDM track ever made.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Week 1: Meet and Greet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to those who have left kudos on this work! It goes a long way!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Commotion flooded the halls of Smash Mansion as everyone got ready for the visitors who would be arriving in just a couple of hours. The Smash community was pretty much split in half, with some of them being open to the idea of becoming buddies with the All Stars, and others still saw them as hardcore rivals. Isabelle was in the dining room, putting the finishing touches on the decorations that she happily volunteered to help out with.</p><p>"There! All done!"</p><p>She spun around on her heel when she heard the sound of boots approaching her, which belonged to Fox. She looked up and waved at the Arwing pilot, who was rather impressed by how things were turning out. Candles were positioned in just the right areas so that light was optimal. Yellow, blue, teal, and red, the colors of PlayStation, were the primary colors for her decorations. Balloons sailed freely through the air, giving the event a bit more of a party vibe. Finally, the colossal dining table, which spanned from one end of the dining hall to the other, was dressed with a sheet that had both Nintendo and PlayStation logos printed on it.</p><p>"You've got the place looking pretty neat, Isabelle," complimented Fox.</p><p>"Aww, thank you Fox. I put all my heart into making sure both brands are equally represented. I hope it makes them feel welcome."</p><p>Fox grunted and massaged his chin. "I still don't know how to feel about these guys. I mean, it wasn't too long ago that they were trying to put us out of business, y'know."</p><p>Peach overheard their conversation while she pulled some of her pastries out of the oven, and figured she'd join in. "I believe that we should welcome them with an open heart. Having a stinky attitude toward them won't get anybody anywhere."</p><p>Fox shook his head. "I dunno. Just got a bad feeling about it. That's all."</p><p>"Oh, you can be such a stick in the mud sometimes. Be a dear, and help me put out some more of these cupcakes."</p><hr/><p>Master Hand floated down the hallways, making sure everything was in tiptop shape for his guests. He found himself entering the gaming lounge, where he saw a few of the Smashers having some small talk among each other.</p><p>"Ah, I see you all are quite relaxed for this evening. Are you looking forward to meeting our guests?"</p><p>Not everyone was enthusiastic about the All Stars' arrival, and many of them made it clear by glaring at the floating glove. Dark Pit paused his Blinx session, and stood up to give his leader a piece of his mind.</p><p>"Master Hand, with all due respect… ARE YOU AN <em>IDIOT</em>?! Just what are you <em>thinking</em> by letting those punks into our world?! Out of all the people that have disrespected Nintendo, you choose PlayStation… <em>fricking</em> PLAYSTATION to come here? And now you just expect us to welcome them into <em>OUR</em> home singing 'Kumbaya'?!"</p><p>"Don't you think it's a little ironic how you're playing an Xbox game, yet you're giving <em>him</em> a lecture on brand loyalty?" Lucina countered.</p><p>"Shut up! I wasn't talking to you! Was I?!"</p><p>Master Hand let out a breath, and raised his voice. "Dark Pit and anyone else who feels the same way, I want you to listen closely to what I'm about to say. Times have changed. Understand? Both Nintendo and PlayStation have evolved far from what they used to be in the early years. Now, if it were ten years ago, I of course would not allow the All Stars to come to this world."</p><p>Meta Knight decided to speak up and defend Dark Pit's statement. "I think what Dark Pit is trying to say, is that there is too much bad blood between the both of us. After all the bad things they've said to us, and all the bad things we've said to them as well, it's just not right for everyone to suddenly show up together and pretend like none of that ever happened over the years."</p><p>"Listen, I <em>know</em> that it will be difficult! My request is that you try. <em>Try</em> to show respect to them and forgive them for the past. At the end of the day, <em>they</em> lost. They are no longer a threat to any of you or Nintendo as a whole. Think about how that makes <em>them </em>feel; how difficult it is for them to need assistance from their own enemy. Yet, they still humble themselves and accept that same assistance. To me, that very action alone earns them my respect and my forgiveness."</p><p>Master Hand floated out of the room, effectively putting an end to the argument.</p><hr/><p>"Mhm hmm hm mhmm hm hmm hm mhmm. (Now tuck it into the loop and pull.)"</p><p>Spike looked in the mirror and paid attention to how his teacher put the finishing touches on his own bowtie. Sir Daniel had taken the liberty of showing the kid how to put on a tuxedo, since he never had to do so before. Spike did the best he could to copy what the skeleton next to him did. It kinda didn't help that Daniel's jaw was absent, but after years with the guy, the All Stars were able to make out most of what he would say. Well, more or less.</p><p>"Like that," Spike asked.</p><p>Sir Daniel scratched the non-existent hair on his head, and shrugged. "Hmm mhmm. (Close enough.)"</p><p>Though, It wasn't just Spike and Sir Daniel who were putting their best effort into how they looked. All of the All Stars were gearing up for the important event that would start in just a little while.</p><p>After an hour of iron steam, thick clouds of cologne, and shoe shine, the All Stars were lounging around in the hotel lobby, waiting for their mode of transportation to arrive. Little did they know that they would be arriving to the event in top-notch style. Kapp'n pulled up to the hotel, and instead of his infamous school bus, he was driving a limo that Master Hand had requested for his guests. He gave the horn a long honk.</p><p>"Guys, I bet that's our ride," Isaac said.</p><p>They walked outside and were surprised by the vehicle that was parked under the awning. It was a pink Cadillac Escalade stretch limo! With gullwing doors and everything!</p><p>"A limo," Evil Cole questioned, almost believing it was too good to be true. "We get to cruise in a friggin' limo?"</p><p>"O' course," Kapp'n confirmed. "Courtesy of that good ol' fella, Master Hand. Did ye think he'd make y'all <em>walk</em> to the Mansion?"</p><p>"Nah. Just didn't think he'd be so generous. Why'd it have to be pink though?"</p><p>Ignoring Cole's complaint, Kapp'n urged everyone to load up. "Chop! Chop! Let's go! The meetin' starts soon and traffic ain't too kind this time of hour."</p><p>"Aww yeah," exclaimed PaRappa. "A limo is where it's at! Me first!"</p><p>"Wait, answer my question. Did the limo <em>have</em> to be pink?"</p><p>"Hold on. We're not ready yet," piped up Raiden. "We're still missing two people."</p><p>"Who?!" Kratos barked. He was beginning to grow impatient, especially with that dang bowtie choking his neck. The poor guy wasn't used to squeezing that spartan bod into a tight suit. As everyone looked around, it only took a couple of seconds to figure out which of the All Stars was missing; Kat and Nariko.</p><p>Cole huffed out of frustration. "Women, am I right? I swear, Jesus will come back before those two are done in there."</p><p>He regretted those words, because not even a minute later, everyone fixed their attention on the double doors that flew open to reveal the two Queens of PlayStation shining like goddesses under the city lights. The second the two females made it to the end of the stairs, everyone's jaw was moping the floor. Compared to the bland, boring, and "been there, done that" tuxedos all the men were wearing, Nariko and Kat were in dresses personally picked by Polygon Man.</p><p>From head to toe, Nariko was seemingly drenched in scarlet, which was a color she pulled off flawlessly to the point where anyone could mistake her as a rising phoenix. Her silk dress felt buttery soft to the touch, and its color perfectly matched her signature hair, which was flat-ironed to compliment the flowing contours of her dress. An all red tiara replaced her default headpiece she would normally wear. It was a custom ornament made to resemble the ranged form of the Heavenly Sword, and it did an incredible job topping off Nariko's outfit. The only contrast provided was from her caramel skin that could be seen on her hands, upper arms and her left leg that would occasionally peep through an offset slit in the front of her dress.</p><p>The goal for Kat's outfit was to keep things simple, yet full of character. Her dress functioned as an extension of her standard outfit, but it did so in a way that was sure to turn heads all night long. The previous gold accents of her usual clothing were now replaced by authentic gold pieces that swept in and out the fabric like gentle waves. The shape of the dress was long and formfitting but not to the point where her mobility would be compromised. After all, getting around quickly was what she was known for. For the final touch, her hair was styled into a lace-braided bun that kept her look mature, yet not pretentious or anything like that. Polygon Man may have been a cheapskate most of the time, but he made sure his "children" were dressed to the nines for this big night.</p><p>"God <em>damn</em>!" It was too late when Dante realized he had said that out loud, earning piercing glares from the two angels.</p><p>"Mind your eyes, Dante, and you will not lose them," Nariko coldly replied.</p><p>After what seemed like forever, everyone gathered their bearings, and took their seats in the luxurious Cadillac, and Kapp'n began the trip to the Mansion as he pulled out from under the hotel awning.</p><p>"For real though, did it have to be pink?"</p><p>"SHUT UP ALREADY!"</p><hr/><p>A few horn honks here and a couple of f-bombs there, and the All Stars were just a few blocks from their destination. The Mansion was truly a sight to behold, and could be seen from miles afar. From the cascading gardens that surrounded it, to the sky lights that protruded from the roofs, the entire building was made up of an architectural style that was rivaled by nothing.</p><p>"Now remember, everyone. Let's all be on our best behavior. We wouldn't want to be an embarrassment for our precious figurehead. Isn't that right, Ratchet?"</p><p>Ratchet scowled at the raccoon. "You're not funny, Sly. You never have been. If you're so wound up with the way things turned out, go cry to Polygon Man. Not me."</p><p>"Oh, Ratchet, you are <em>such</em> a drama queen. How many years have you known me? Because you should know for sure that I'm <em>not</em> jealous of you, nor will I <em>ever</em> be. Just a little concerned on how well you'll represent our brand to our soon-to-be friends. Gotta say...I'm not very confident."</p><p>Ratchet chuckled. "You see, funny thing is, I don't remember ever <em>asking</em> you for your opinion, so why the hell should I care?"</p><p>"Children, <em>please</em> stop your bickering," Nariko pleaded.</p><p>"Mama's right," Daxter concurred. "Keep that up and we're gonna need to put y'all in a marriage counseling class! Besides, we're almost to the shindig now," he mentioned while pointing out of the window toward the towering castle that was just around the corner. Kapp'n pulled the limo right next to the legendary steps that ascended up the Mansion doors. As everyone stepped out onto the gravel, they were taken aback by the beauty that serenaded them.</p><p>"How come we never got a crib like this back home," Emmett asked, captured by the tranquility of his surroundings.</p><p>"Polygon Man's pee-wee wallet would've never allowed it," Evil Cole grumbled out. He then turned to the Lombax, who was just as mesmerized as everyone else. "You lucky son of a bitch."</p><p>All attention turned toward Ratchet, and he could literally <em>feel</em> the envy burning into him. Could they really be blamed though? Down inside, Ratchet was humble, and wished that all of his friends could stay with him in the Mansion. Kapp'n rolled the driver side window down, and peered out to say his final goodbyes.</p><p>"Till' next time, youngins! I gave Mario a whistle and told him y'all be waiting outside. He should be comin' to the door any minute now." He put the car in gear and drove away, leaving them to be soothed by the late night breeze.</p><p>Everyone made their way up the steps and to the patio, waiting patiently in the quiet until that silence was broken by the sound of faint muttering. They all turned to see Spike reading off of some flashcards.</p><p>"Boy?! What are you doing," Kratos asked, unnecessarily shouting like usual.</p><p>"J-Just rehearsing what I'm gonna say when I meet someone. I guess I'm a little shy about seeing all these new faces!" Spike forced a laugh as he nervously caressed his wild hair. Kratos reeled back and smacked the flashcards out of his hands.</p><p>"You have <em>NO</em> reason for your soul to be consumed with fear, child! For it is one with the very spirit of PlayStation! You should hold your head high with pride!"</p><p>"Baldy's right guys," cheered Kuro. "Let's show em' how off the hook we are!"</p><p>At that very moment the Mansion doors opened to reveal Bowser, a towering beast that made Kuro think twice about his confidence. The black cat made a beeline for the nearest person to hide behind, whom was Ratchet; not exactly the strongest looking of the bunch.</p><p>"Uhh… trick or treat," Ratchet joked, not really sure what to make of the unexpected greeter.</p><p>Bowser shook his head and stepped to the side to make way for Mario, who gingerly greeted them with his trademark smile. "A-welcome! A-welcome! Come on in, everyone! It's-a great to have all of you as guests here tonight!"</p><p>The All Stars made their way inside, except for Ratchet, who stayed at the front door to meet the forerunner of Smash Bros. "Ah! So <em>you're</em> the leader of the All Stars," Mario greeted.</p><p>"Well, no not really. Well... kinda, but just not... *sigh* It doesn't matter. Just think of me as Polygon Man's personal assistant."</p><p>Mario shook Ratchet's hand, patted him on the back, and eagerly urged him inside. "Please, Ratchet, come on in! We've a-got enough food to fill our bellies sky high!"</p><p>The plumber was more than pleased to welcome the All Stars to the mansion. Compared to others, he no longer saw them as rivals. He saw it as an opportunity to make some new friendships, and that was all that mattered to him. The next thing that Mario knew, he was bombarded by two cats clinging to his slacks.</p><p>"MARIO! MARIO," the anthropomorphic felines shouted in unison. "WE <em>LOVE</em> YOU!" For Toro and Kuro, meeting gaming's biggest icon was a dream come true! "DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!"</p><p>It didn't take long for Mario to figure out what the two cats were begging for. Though a bit odd, he had gotten used to this request, since it was usually the first thing fans would ask for when meeting him. Mario cleared his throat, put his hands on his wait, and exclaimed, "It's-a me, Mario!"</p><p>"YAAAAAAAAY!"</p><p>Mario's poor ears were close to bleeding at this point.</p><p>Toro jumped up and grabbed his iconic red hat. "I've got his hat! I've got his hat," he celebrated while jumping up and down. A piece of history was right in his paws, and if Toro had it his way, he would never let go of that dang hat.</p><p>"H-Hey," Mario sounded slightly embarrassed. "You're a funny one aren't ya?!" He laughed as he chased the two fans around the front lobby. The beginning of what would be a legendary night for Nintendo and PlayStation was off to a decent start.</p><hr/><p>A few minutes into the event, and the atmosphere was a little tense despite what some were hoping for. Most members from both sides just weren't willing to acknowledge each other yet. The All Stars stayed to one side of the Mansion, making small talk with themselves. At the same time, the Smashers lingered on the opposite side, either helping with last minute adjustments, or just waiting to leave. To a lot of Smashers' disappointment, Master Hand made the event mandatory in order to encourage interaction. Deep down inside, he knew that if he didn't require everyone to attend, very few people would actually give a crap to show up. Near the cafe, Daisy found Little Sister wandering around with Sackboy secured in her arms. She began to greet the child, but nearly had a heart attack when Little Sister turned around to reveal her chilling yellow eyes. The young girl giggled, finding Daisy's reaction amusing.</p><p>"She's funny, Mr. Snuggles! I think she's seen the light!"</p><p>"Umm… h-honey, are you alright?"</p><p>"Hmmm, mhmm...um hmm, (She's fine... I think,)" a muffled voice said behind her. Daisy spun around but was just as frightened as she gazed at the skeletal face of Sir Daniel; his blatant missing jaw instantly stealing all of her attention. "Uh hm hmm hmm mhmm! Mhh uhmm hmm, mhmm! (I am Sir Daniel Fortesque! At your service, m'lady!)"</p><p>He knelt down in front of her and tilted his head in respect, which didn't really help the fact that the Princess had no clue what he just said.</p><p>
  <em>"Goodness. Are all these people freaks or what!?"</em>
</p><hr/><p>Down in one of the more secluded hallways of the Mansion, Nariko carefully made her way out of the restroom, peeking around the door to make sure no one was around.</p><p>"Hmm. I can't stay here for too long."</p><p>Little did she know that her best friend, Kat, was watching her the entire time from the ceiling. Nariko closed the door, and began looking for somewhere quieter until she was startled by the gravity queen landing on the ground behind her. Nariko instinctively whipped around with her ginormous blade in hand ready to decapitate anyone who invaded her personal space. She was relieved to see it was none other than Kat laughing with Dusty in her arms.</p><p>"I can't believe you still fall for that!"</p><p>"I can't believe <em>you</em> still aren't afraid of being accidentally beheaded."</p><p>The two women, being the few females in the All Star league, had gotten close to each other ever since Kat joined in the second season of Battle Royale. Their friendship had gotten deep enough to the point where they referred to themselves as sisters, and the only other person that ever got that close to Nariko was Kai. Though they don't share the same blood, they understand each other more than anyone else can, and possess similar fighting spirits that make them some of the best warriors under the PlayStation moniker. Kat's cheerful grin turned into a pout as she began to chastise Nariko for sneaking away.</p><p>"Now what are you doing all the way over here by yourself?" She pointed her finger at Nariko like a disappointed parent, playfully poking her on the tip of her nose.</p><p>"I was just-"</p><p>"You were trying to find a good spot to hide from everyone!" Kat finished that statement for her, fully aware of what her motives were.</p><p>Nariko sighed and facepalmed, knowing that she had been caught red-handed. "You <em>know</em> I'm not too keen on these types of affairs."</p><p>"Oh come on, sis! There's a lot of cool people to meet out there, not to mention a bunch of cute boys too!" Kat wriggled her eyebrows as she playfully elbowed Nariko in the side, teasing her without shame. She knew that Nariko never really cared about all that romance crap, yet always bugged her to hook-up with somebody.</p><p>"You aren't giving me good reasons to think otherwise, you know." Nariko crossed her arms and reluctantly began walking back to the muffled sounds of the crowds, not bothering to put up more of a fight.</p><p>Kat locked her arm with Nariko's as they walked back into the main room where the majority of everyone was. "Think about it like this, okay? What if we meet our new best friend here?"</p><p>"Unlikely, I would say. 'Friends' are like wounds. The less of them one has, the more efficient the body will function."</p><p>Kat squinted her eyes and frowned. "Wait... what are you trying to say? <em>I'm</em> your friend, so you think of <em>me</em> as a pain?"</p><p>Nariko shook her head. "No, sister. Think carefully about my words."</p><p>Kat shrugged. "Ugh! See, you 'think' too much sometimes." The gravity queen looked around and noticed a group of four women standing near the chocolate fountain. You can't have a great party without one of those y'know!</p><p>"Over there!" Kat pointed to the small clique, which consisted of Ashley, Bayonetta, Byleth, and Tiki. "Let's go speak to them!" Before the redhead could even begin to argue, Kat grabbed Nariko's hand and led her along toward the group.</p><p>"A-Alua?!" Nariko protested, using Kat's real name to portray how adamant she was on staying to herself.</p><p>"Coooome oooon! It'll be okay!"</p><p>In the middle of talking, Byleth noticed the two women approaching and paused to offer them her attention. The other three did the same as Kat bowed out of respect and began an introduction.</p><p>"Hi! Please excuse us, but we just thought we'd come and say hello! You can call me Kat, and this is my partner, Dusty," Kat beamed as her thick and exotic accent sliced through the air.</p><p>Dusty materialized into a sitting position on top of Ashley's head and purred. "Hee hee hee! This kitty likes me, so that means you guys aren't so bad! My name is Ashley. Nice to meet ya!" The young witch reached her hand out to shake, and Kat gleefully returned the kind act.</p><p>Byleth stepped forward with her hand outstretched too, and introduced herself, as well as everyone else while she was at it. "Joy to meet you, Kat. I am Byleth. To my left is Tiki, and to my right is Bayonetta."</p><p>Bayonetta observed how quiet Nariko was and called her out. "There's no need to be shy, honey. What's <em>your</em> name?"</p><p>"That's Nariko, my bestest best friend!"</p><p>"Your 'bestest best friend,' huh," Bayonetta repeated to herself, taken aback by the carefree and straightforward attitude that Kat possessed. The Umbra Witch wasn't used to people approaching her with such confidence, and she found herself genuinely amused by the happy-go-lucky nature of Kat.</p><p>"Uh-huh! She sure is! But she's also a big meanie, so don't make her mad!"</p><p>Nariko wasn't pleased with her sister's teasing and made that obvious by shooting a curse through her eyes.</p><p>Bayonetta held her hand over her mouth as she studied the two women and struggled not to laugh. "Pardon me, my darlings. Not poking fun at you. It's just that you two are just <em>so</em> adorable. It would be a joy to have you both along for this little ride permanently. You ever thought about it?"</p><p>Baffled, Nariko and Kat both looked at each other, unsure of how to react to the sudden question that was actually quite personal given their circumstance.</p><p>"You mean... leave PlayStation," Kat asked with her finger pressing her bottom lip.</p><p>Nariko quickly refuted the idea and professed her loyalty to her parent brand. She crossed her arms and held a firm gaze as she replied, "That is a concern that has <em>never</em> crossed our minds."</p><p>Bayonetta cocked her hips and shuffled the lollipop she was sucking on from one side of her mouth to the other. She was addicted to throwing people out of their comfort zones. "Hmph, no worries. Just thought I'd throw it out there. One thing you should know about me, I <em>love</em> to get straight to the point, m'kay? So don't hold it against me." Her eyes fell back upon Nariko, who's concrete posture hadn't fled one bit. Bayonetta would be lying if she said she wasn't getting a tad frustrated. "That means loosen up a little! Damn girl, we're not gonna bite you... at least not <em>too</em> hard."</p><p>Sensing the awkwardness getting to a dangerous level, Tiki reached out and caressed a loose piece of fabric from Nariko's dress, appreciating the quality of the cloth. "Wow, your garments are amazing!"</p><p>"Agreed," replied Bayonetta. "Dare I say that the two of you look breathtaking in your attire."</p><p>"Oh! Thank you," Kat retorted. "Well, you should really thank Polygon Man! He's the one who made our dresses for us!"</p><p>"<em>Did</em> he now?" A provocative grin swept across Bayonetta's face. "Hmm, it's not often that a man gets a woman's taste right. Maybe I should strip for this... 'Polygon Man,' and see what he thinks would look good on <em>my</em> naked body."</p><p>Kat and Nariko both looked at each other again, outright bewildered for the second time in less than a few minutes.</p><p>"Umm, yeah..." drawled Tiki, noting the further discomfort the guests were in. "She doesn't really have a filter."</p><p>Bayonetta popped the lollipop out of her mouth for a second so that Tiki could see her frown. "And why should I, sweetheart? Who wants to live a life walking on an egg shell runway? I'm not gonna be like Zelda who soaks her panties every time she sees Link do a push-up, then prance around like a pure and innocent princess. I don't think so. Do what you want. <em>Screw</em> who you want." She let her candy rest against the bed of her tongue again and winked at Kat and Nariko. "That was your lesson for today ladies, on the house, free of charge."</p><p>Kat pushed aside any lingering thoughts on the matter, and noticed that she hadn't seen Ashley or Tiki in any of the videos she watched on the Smash Bros tournament. She had done a fair share of studying on Nintendo's competition so that she would hopefully be able to relate to its respective characters more. In the midst of her studies, she had actually become quite a fan of Smash Bros.</p><p>"So, are you all new fighters," she asked, looking between Ashley and Tiki. "I don't think I've ever seen you two on the roster."</p><p>"We're what people call 'Assist Fighters,'" Tiki answered. "We come in at different points of a battle and help out, depending on who summons us. So, we're not actual fighters."</p><p>"But we're just as important as the other fighters," Ashley spoke up, confidence booming in her voice. "We can turn the battle around in anyone's favor in just a few seconds! So don't underestimate us!"</p><p>Kat tapped her chin as a couple of ideas came to mind. "Ooh, how great it would've been to have something like that for <em>our</em> tournament." Kat beamed at Nariko while she thought of all the possibilities for the game mechanic. "Raven could've been <em>my</em> assist fighter. Oh, and Kai could've been yours!"</p><p>Bayonetta frowned after hearing Kat's ideas, and loudly crunched the lollipop that she'd been feasting on. "Frankly, I'm surprised that such a thing was never brought into your game show. After all, everything else about it was just a botched copy-and-paste job."</p><p>Nariko narrowed her eyes at Bayonetta and gritted her teeth, letting out a frustrated breath as she struggled to maintain her composure.</p><p>"Did I ruffle some feathers there? Oh, forgive me." Bayonetta chuckled at her own words. Byleth and the others weren't exactly sharing in the amusement, as they cast sideways glances at her amid her sudden change in demeanor. "I shouldn't be so curt to our new friends. Besides, it wasn't your fault that PlayStation couldn't do anything original to compete with Smash Bros. I actually feel sorry that you two lovelies had to be dragged into it."</p><p>Nariko held her head up high and walked up to Bayonetta until there were face to face. The Umbra Witch retained her relaxed composure, not intimidated at all by the fuming red-head. "The Battle Royale tournament was glorious. A fine mark of achievement for PlayStation's history. And we are <em>proud</em> to have been apart of it. We do <em>not </em>need your pity, and we are <em>not</em> your friends."</p><p>This time, Nariko was the one doing the grabbing and pulling, as she seized Kat's hand and led her away from any further conflict.</p><p>"B-But..." Kat began to protest, but instead flashed a smile at the other women in an attempt to salvage any new possible friendships while she was dragged away.</p><p>Bayonetta heaved a sigh and flicked her empty lollipop stick onto the floor for some schmuck to slip on. "Tsk, tsk. What a shame. And that blonde one was just <em>too</em> cute. Hmph. Oh well." Bayonetta shrugged and walked off to find something else to entertain her.</p><hr/><p>Over in the dining room, Peach twirled around and noticed that the cupcakes that Fox helped her set out not too long ago, were now missing! She tapped her chin for a few seconds, and let her eyes wander while she tried to convince herself that she wasn't crazy. Sure enough, she found the culprit on the floor next to the old-school jukebox that was currently playing some modern pop jams. Fat Princess sat against the machine, licking pink icing off of her gloves. The empty tray was in her lap; a dead giveaway of her guilty pleasure. Peach couldn't help but smile at the younger royal girl. She went over to her and playfully wagged her finger in Plump's face.</p><p>"Now now. Sweets are a delectable treat, but you have to be careful not to eat too much! If you want to grow up to be a strong, healthy, princess like me, you have to put your veggies first!"</p><p>Instead of words, Fat Princess responded with a high-pitched burp right in Peach's direction. "Excuse me," she said in a tone that Peach couldn't tell if she was being genuine or sarcastic.</p><p>Peach frowned and sighed. "Children these days…"</p><p>She went back into the stockroom freezer to retrieve the backup set of cupcakes that she made just in case, and put them out back in the spot where the other deserts sat patiently waiting to be devoured. She dusted off her hands and put them on her hips. "There we go! That should be more than enough for everyone!"</p><p>Proud of her excellent baking skills, Peach walked into the kitchen to put away her apron. Wario waddled up to the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom and blew her a kiss. "Peach! Darling! Sweetcheecks!"</p><p>Peach wasn't phased by his unusually kind demeanor towards her. She knew that he had a craving for her famous baked goods. Most of the Smashers did. "There's no need to flatter me, Wario. I just set out another batch of cupcakes a minute ago. You're a guest just like everyone else, so feel free to enjoy them."</p><p>"That's just the thing, baby. There ain't no more out there."</p><p>"W-WHAT?! B-but I <em>just</em> put out another tray!"</p><p>"Ah, that's no problem. You can just whip up some more real quick, right?" Peach ignored him and rushed out right past him. "Hey! Where ya going? You still didn't even catch my kiss! You're breakin' my heart, you know that?!"</p><p>Princess Peach came out just in time to see Plump finishing off the last bit her of cupcakes. Goodness! Peach hadn't been <em>this</em> mad in a while! She stomped over to Fat Princess with steam coming out of her ears.</p><p>"Listen young lady. How <em>selfish</em> of you to not let anyone else share? I've put a lot of hard work into baking those so that everyone could have a bite!" Wario walked up right next to Peach, and gave Plump the stink eye.</p><p>The young girl gulped one last time before she started to feel dizzy. She wobbled to the side for a bit, and began to make the older Princess worry.</p><p>"U-um. Are you all right," Peach asked with a trembling voice.</p><p>The situation began to draw a small crowd, who was also concerned that something may be wrong with the little girl. Wario, trying to save the day, perched right next to Plump and encouraged her to stay conscious.</p><p>"Breathe in! Breathe out! Breathe in! Breathe out!" He kept repeating those words while over-dramatically inhaling and exhaling so that she could get the idea. However, it was a stupid mistake to stand so close to her, because before he knew it, Fat Princess collapsed right on top of him. "<em>GYAAACK!</em> GET HER...<em>URK</em> OFF OF ME! I...<em>UNHK</em> CAN'T BREATHE!"</p><p>Wii Fit Trainer and Joker rushed right over to them since they were the closest to the scene. Fit and Joker had to team lift Plump off of Wario, which really didn't matter anyway since <em>both</em> of them were now knocked out cold.</p><p>"What happened over here," Mario asked as he frantically made his way to the scene.</p><p>"Uhh… it's…" Joker pondered, not really sure of what to say. "Let's just say that it's definitely one for the books."</p><p>Mario jumped in the air, twisted in place for a few seconds, and when he came back to the ground, he was now Dr. Mario! He put Wario and Princess Plump onto stretchers and, with the help of Joker, loaded them into an ambulance that was parked outside by the curb. Dr. Mario shut the double doors in the back of the truck and dusted off his hands.</p><p>"That should do it."</p><p>"Did she pass out from all the cake or Wario's breath," Joker asked.</p><p>"Probably both," Dr. Mario replied. "It's-a time to get the party back on track. Tell Luigi that-a he's in charge while I go-a check these two into the medical bay." Joker gave a nod, and went looking for Mario's brother. Everyone watched from inside as the ambulance made its way down the street, and disappeared behind the distant scenery. After a few minutes, things were getting back to normal and dinner was almost ready to start.</p><p>"Charizard, let's go!" Leaf released the fire/flying type from its Pokeball, and handed it napkins and utensils that would soon be put to great use. Her Charizard launched itself in the air, and flew over the dining table, meticulously placing the objects in each reserved spot on the table. In just a matter of seconds, the dining table was fully set, and some people began taking their seats.</p><p>On the other side of the room, Jak stood against the back wall, doing his best to remain unnoticed. He was never really a social butterfly, and he often found himself trying to blend into the background whenever he was forced into a public gathering. Sometimes it would work. In a rare occasion, it would backfire against him and cause him to stand out even more, just like now.</p><p>"Are you gonna stay on that wall all night like a nasty stain?"</p><p>"I don't see why not. I have no business with any of these people," Jak replied.</p><p>Daxter sighed and propped himself up on the usual spot on his buddy's shoulder. "Ahhh, typical Jak. Always gotta be the recluse of the group. The lone wolf. How far has that kinda attitude gotten you?"</p><p>Jak rolled his eyes and ignored him. He saw everyone taking their seats with their food, and figured it was time to do the same. He walked over to the tables of grub and both he and Daxter were taken aback by the plethora of food choices before them. Most of it was cooked by Chef Kawasaki who had, thankfully, been improving his cooking in the last few months. Daxter specifically had his eyes set on the chili fajitas that were still sizzling with heat. He also noticed the "Slap Ya Mama" seasoning that was next to the ketchup and other condiments, and instantly knew it was pretty much a match made in heaven! Jak caught sight of what Daxter was staring at, and slapped him on the back of his head.</p><p>*THWACK* "Hey?! What was that for?! I'm behaving myself! I haven't even <em>looked</em> at a chick the wrong-" Before he could finish his sentence, Bayonetta strutted by, and he couldn't help but get an eyeful of her... <em>exciting</em> features. "Hubba hubb-" *THWACK* "OW! JAK! Would you stop that?!"</p><p>"I'm not talking about <em>that</em>. I'm talking about those fajitas. You're <em>not </em>eating those. Can't have people running out of the mansion because of your weak stomach."</p><p>"Oh, gimme a break. I haven't seen food <em>this</em> good in ages, and I ain't gonna let some bad gas ruin that!" Daxter took half of all the tacos that were made, and dumped them onto his plate. "Let's go find us a seat so I can diiiig in!"</p><hr/><p>It wasn't too long until everyone in the building eventually found a seat at the dining table. The Smashers and All Stars naturally separated themselves by sitting across from one another at the table. The already tense and awkward air seemed to be kicked up a notch, and many distracted themselves by either fiddling with their silverware or chatting with whoever was next to them while waiting to be given the green light to chow down. Even though he hated the responsibility that had suddenly been burdened upon him, Luigi understood his role as the captain of the event, and was eager to kick the event off. He stood up to gather everyone's attention.</p><p>"Attention everyone! Before we-a start eating, let's-a all introduce ourselves," he jubilantly said. His jubilance, however, was drained the moment that Kratos stood up and opened his mouth.</p><p>"WE ARE THE PLAYSTATION ALL STARS! AND WE WILL <em>KILL</em> YOU ALL!"</p><p>Ratchet pulled on his ears in utter disbelief of what he just heard! He could only guess that Kratos had so much built in anger and resentment for tonight that he couldn't control it. Ratchet turned to scan everyone else's reactions, and he could clearly see that they weren't pleased with what they heard too. Panicking, he struggled to come up with a way to keep things from falling apart.</p><p>Smiles were immediately replaced with blank stares, since nobody was sure how to react to that left-field statement. The mansion was dead quiet, and it remained that way for what seemed like an eternity.</p><p>"..."</p><p>"..."</p><p>"..." *cough* "..."</p><p>Ganondorf was the first to break the painfully awkward silence. His chair flew back against the wall as he stood up and met Kratos' fiery gaze. "<em>EXCUSE </em>ME?! YOU WISH TO DO <em>WHAT?!</em>"</p><p>"He's joking!" Drake said, desperately trying to save the night from becoming a catastrophe. "He's joking, I swear. He just has a twisted sense of humor." Drake gently patted Kratos on the shoulders, non-verbally urging the Spartan to sit back down. However, he just shrugged the treasure hunter's hands from his body.</p><p>"Perhaps you did not hear me clearly, demon, so I shall say it again…"</p><p>"Kratos, seriously," Drake coughed up fake chuckles, acting as best as he could to make it seem like this was all some sort of prank. "You can stop with the joke now! We get it! You're hilarious! NOW SIT <em>DOWN</em>!"</p><p>"Nah, he ain't joking! And neither are those fajitas! Gotta skedaddle!"</p><p>All eyes were now on Daxter as he scurried across the dining table, heading for the nearest bathroom he could find, but not before crashing into Paultena's bowl of ramen that spilled yellow liquid all over her alabaster dress!</p><p>"Oops!" Daxter paused. He gazed up at the goddess and nearly crapped himself right there just by seeing how annoyed she was.</p><p>Palutena slowly backed up her chair and stood up, completely flustered by how things had derailed in just one minute. When she looked down at how badly her dress was ruined, it took all she had to keep from showing just how livid she actually was.</p><p>Daxter pushed his luck, and tried sucking up to avoid being snapped out of existence. "Ehh… did anyone ever tell you that yellow is <em>totally</em> your color?"</p><p>"DAXTER!" Jak yelled across the table in sheer embarrassment. He jumped up and chased the troublemaker out of the room and down the hall, and everybody could only blankly stare in awe of their behavior.</p><p>A cone of bright light flashed where Palutena's chair was, and when the light dissipated, she was nowhere to be found.</p><p>"Lady Palutena!" Pit couldn't believe that she would just up and leave like that.</p><p>Before things could somehow get any more out of hand, Sly raised his wine glass in the air and tapped it twice with his spoon to divert everyone's attention. His calm and laidback demeanor was just the catalyst needed to ease the rising tension in the atmosphere. "How about we start over and get to know each other a bit? The name's Sly Cooper. It's a pleasure to meet you all. I think I speak for all my fellow All Stars when I say that we are <em>more</em> than honored to be here. I mean, we're sitting with gaming's biggest idols right now. I'd love to hear some of your stories from over the years, and we'd be thrilled to share ours as well."</p><p>Though some people were still a little on edge, Sly's clever speech mostly worked to break the ice, and some smiles had already begun to return.</p><p>Sly took a quick sip of his beverage and whispered to the Lombax that sat next to him, "That's how it's done buddy boy."</p><p>Disappointed in himself, Ratchet fumed knowing that Sly had just done a better job to keep things in check, especially since he wasn't even the assigned spokesperson.</p><p>Ash piped up from across the table, clearly motivated from Sly's welcome.</p><p>"Couldn't have said it better myself! We're totally psyched to have y'all here too! Who cares if you guys are from a different company? The way I see it, the more the merrier!"</p><p>"Pika, Pi!"</p><p>"Awesome. Glad we were finally able to address the elephant in the room," Sly continued. "Though, I'm particularly interested in <em>you</em>, Ms. Aran."</p><p>Samus scowled at him, not too keen on being singled out in front of so many people and also not highly fond of sharing her personal details with strangers. However, there was a method to Sly's madness. He hoped that by getting one of the quietest members to talk, then that would encourage everyone else to open up as well. He stayed smooth, resting his chin on his knuckles as he continued.</p><p>"Being such a high class bounty hunter, I'm sure you've built up quite a collection of souvenirs. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm your biggest fan here. So I'd love it if you gave me a peek someday, if that isn't too much to ask from you. As a favor for a favor, I'll even rustle up some Cooper Gang relics for you."</p><p>Samus remained looking at him with her trademark "IDGAF" face. Sly sort of underestimated her, because she could tell that he wasn't really serious and was pretty much just clowning around. She returned her attention to her cuisine to pick up her spork and forget he even exists.</p><p>"She isn't much of a talker, but you can consider me one. Name's Ken, but some of you already know me. Ain't that right, Heihachi?"</p><p>Across the table, the gray-haired veteran fighter simply grunted as a response.</p><p>"Looks like you've put on a few years since I've seen you. Maybe even decades now that I'm getting a closer look."</p><p>Heihachi threw his head back and howled in laughter. "Fool! No matter <em>what</em> my age is, you will never be able to match my fighting prowess!"</p><p>"Yeah, sure. Keep dreamin' geezer. Time sure ain't slowin' down for ya." Ken directed his attention to Toro and Kuro who were just bubbling with excitement. "Toro, Kuro! How you knuckleheads doin'? Didn't think I'd ever see you two goofballs again!"</p><p>"HIIIIII KEN," the two felines greeted together. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Toro, Kuro, Heihachi, and Ken all met before when each of them fought in the Street Fighter X Tekken tournament that took place years ago. For the cats, it was a relief seeing someone else they were good friends with in a world that was so new to them.</p><p>It was just what was the doctor ordered to get things finally going for the meet and greet. All that was needed was at least two people who were motivated to get to know each other, and that enthusiasm was spread over some of the others as the night went on. Some people on Nintendo's side shared details about themselves, and likewise, the All Stars did the same. After about thirty minutes of swapping stories and learning about one another, everyone was close to finishing up their meals and ready to say goodbye for the night; especially the people who didn't care to be there in the first place.</p><p>Sweet Tooth was in the middle of wrapping up his scary story that ironically drew the attention of kids like Ness and Popo.</p><p>"So <em>that's</em> when I finally gave that gullible idiot a full serving! He stuffed that entire double-scoop cone into his mouth in one gulp!"</p><p>"He <em>did</em>," exclaimed Popo.</p><p>"Nooo, you're kidding," Ness commented.</p><p>"MUAHA! But do you wanna know what happened next," Sweet Tooth teased.</p><p>Everyone at the table grumbled in response, clearly not as interested in story time like Ness and Lucas were.</p><p>"Oooh! Tell us," the two kids exclaimed at the same time.</p><p>"BOOM! His head erupted like a goddamn volcano! MUAHAHA! And <em>that's</em> why you always check your ice cream for explosives, boys and girls!"</p><p>Princess Daisy stood up, gathering everyone's attention. "Well, on <em>that</em> note, it was nice meeting you all, but I think now is a good time to wrap things up. Luigi?" She glanced over at the man who was close to falling asleep, and socked him in the head.</p><p>"Huh?! Oh yeah." Luigi stood up and dismissed everyone, much to most people's delight.</p><p>Overall, the night wasn't as disastrous as Ratchet had thought it would be, though, he knew that it also didn't do much to help everyone feel more comfortable, which was the entire goal in the first place! Nevertheless, the All Stars swiftly made their way outside of the Mansion, and waited for Kapp'n to come pick them up.</p><p>"Do you think he had time to swing the car by a body shop while we were in there?" Ignoring what had to be Cole's one millionth remark on the paint job, they watched as Kapp'n pulled the limo up next to them, and got inside the luxurious ride; dreaming about the comfy beds that awaited them at Donktastic.</p><p>Ratchet waved goodbye to the car that became nothing but a small pink spec as it faded into the distance of the night. He sighed and trudged back up the steps, dreading what he knew would be one long, tremendously awkward experience for the next few days.</p><hr/><p>Back inside the Mansion, Snake was making his way toward to his room, rubbing his belly as he did so. He didn't care too much for the forced formalities earlier, but he'd tell you in a heartbeat that the food was to die for. He was put on guard, however, when he noticed that something about his surroundings seemed… different. He steadied his breathing and focused his brain power on sole concentration, so that he would be able to identify what the anomaly was. Sure enough, as he continued walking, he noticed that someone was following him. After a glint of red light was caught in his peripheral, it didn't take long for Snake to decipher who exactly it was. He came to a stop in one of the darker corridors of the Mansion, and prepared himself for a possible skirmish.</p><p>"Can't find your way out of the Mansion? Or is there a <em>different</em> reason that you're following me?"</p><p>Raiden's voice sounded as low and gruff as ever while he responded. "I never got to ask <em>my</em> question. Everyone was too busy running their mouths."</p><p>"Oh, like your friend who threatened to kill all of us when we weren't even a minute into supper?"</p><p>Raiden paused. "There's no excusing his words… he has a past… a troubled one. <em>You</em> of all people should know what that's like. I sure as hell do. Or did you forget who you are, surrounded by all of this fake affliction?"</p><p>Snake chuckled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, and lit it by striking it against the material on his Sneaking Suit.</p><p>"They've softened you Snake. I can tell just by hearing the way you breathe."</p><p>"That's where you're wrong, Raiden. Thanks to these people, I've grown in more ways than I ever knew a man could. They've given me answers to problems I've never been able to solve by myself. It seems to me like the only thing <em>your</em> people have done for you is turn you into even more of a bitter man than you used to be."</p><p>"Don't you dare tell <em>me</em> how they've changed my life! I know very well the lessons that I've learned while on this journey with them. If you were with me, you would know."</p><p>"So that's what this is about? Of <em>course</em> it is. You're still fed up that I chose to fight for a different brand. Yet you chose to be with people who crave blood and tears more than water."</p><p>"I CHOSE THE ALL STARS BECAUSE THEY AREN'T FAKE! They're <em>REAL</em> people who had to suffer with <em>REAL</em> issues, and THAT is what makes us such a strong family. We've been through it all and we know how hard life can be, yet we struggle through it together. You <em>betrayed</em> us, you son of a bitch. You, Crash, Cloud, Spyro, and everyone else! You all left us to <em>DIE</em> when we needed you the most. When PlayStation begged for your assistance, you all turned your heads away. But I'll <em>never</em> forgive <em>you</em>. You not only ignored us, you joined our rivals. If that isn't the biggest middle finger to the parent that raised you… then I don't know <em>what</em> is."</p><p>Raiden paused, letting his words marinate in his old teacher's mind. Snake took another hit from his cigarette and looked at Raiden for the first time tonight. "Are you done?"</p><p>Raiden's seething anger was multiplied by Snake's slack attitude. He put the cigarette out by using the palm of his hand, and plucked the object right at Raiden's chest plate. The cyborg looked down at the cigarette that fell by his feet, then back up to see Snake's intimidating glare just a couple of inches away from his face.</p><p>"You're still just a little boy," Snake said, his tone engulfed with anger. "You'll never know how much it pains me to see how your 'family' has turned you into the wasted potential that you always struggled <em>not</em> to be." Snake took his finger and pointed it over Raiden's shoulder. "Go to hell."</p><p>"WHY YOU LITTLE-" Raiden reeled in to strike but was caught off guard when his punch was caught by someone else. He looked to his side and nearly jumped out of his servos when he saw the face of a blonde woman who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.</p><p>Samus narrowed her eyes and spoke. "The Smash Mansion parameters are off limits to those who aren't enrolled in the tournament, unless excused by Master Hand. In this case, <em>you're</em> not. You need to leave."</p><p>Samus let go of Raiden's fist and he snarled in anger, realizing that his "reunion" with his old teacher was over. He took one last look at Snake, and began making his way out of the building.</p><p>Snake and Samus remained quiet for a while in the dark hallway. She cast a glance at him and could tell that he was doing his best to stifle his emotions. "Who is he?" She asked.</p><p>Snake hesitated, but decided to give her an answer anyway. "...An old friend."</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, after wrapping up his business in the hospital, Mario made it back to the Mansion to assist the cleanup crew. He found Fox, Peach, his brother, and Isabelle putting the decorations and what-nots back into boxes to be put away.</p><p>"Hey hey! There he is," Fox welcomed Mario as he jogged into the room.</p><p>"It's-a good to be back! How did everything go? Luigi didn't choke on his food this time, did he?" Mario playfully patted his brother on the back.</p><p>"Ehh… well… It was <em>okay</em>… I guess," Fox replied while rubbing the back of his head.</p><p>"Yes, It could've been better, but it wasn't terrible," Peach mentioned.</p><p>"I'm just afraid that they didn't feel as welcomed as I hoped for," Isabelle said. "Most of them were kinda shy."</p><p>Mario sighed. "Well, at least it's-a start. I know not everyone was-a happy to have them, but that just means we have to work-a harder. I still believe that we can all be friends."</p><p><em>"Pfft. Yeah, keep dreaming," </em>Fox thought to himself. He put his hands in his pockets and began to walk off, but stopped when he felt his finger brush against something. "Hmm?" He felt around in his pocket and pulled out a business card with a blue logo on it. Fox flipped the card around to the other side and noticed some words that read, <em>"A pleasure getting to know you. Looking forward to the next time we meet. Stay beautiful. - Sly." </em>"How the heck did this get in my pocket," Fox asked in shock.</p><p>On instinct, Luigi reached in his pockets and whaddya know? He pulled out an identical card! "Huh?!"</p><p>Peach and Isabelle followed their actions and also got the same results. "I don't remember putting <em>this </em>in my pocket," Isabelle mumbled.</p><p>Just then, Pit entered the room with a handful of the <em>exact</em> same cards, indicating that the world renowned thief had snuck a card into everyone's pocket somehow. "Hey guys, do you know anything about these?"</p><p>Sly, being the sneaky delinquent that he is, was so stoked about meeting everyone, that he decided to leave them a token of his appreciation right under their noses. He always had to show off, didn't he?</p><p>Fox tossed the card over his shoulder and groaned. "Oh great. We have another jokester in town."</p><hr/><p>"Ninety-two, ninety-three... ah, here we go. Ninety-four."</p><p>It wasn't hard for Ratchet to find his room. It was all the way up on the highest floor of Smash Mansion, and the hallways were pretty much empty. He figured that most people were probably just too tired from the meet and greet to stay up any longer. Mario had given him some basic instructions to find his room, but after that, he hadn't seen any other Smashers along the way, and a part of him was grateful for that. He still wasn't totally comfortable while staying in what he thought of as a stranger's house. Above all else, he just wanted a nice big ol' bed to sink into. The last couple of days had been far too hectic for his liking, especially with that pesky raccoon being a pain in his neck. <em>"Sly. Sometimes, I just wish he would shut the hell up."</em></p><p>Ratchet opened the door to the room, and was greeted to a decently sized studio with two beds. The décor was remarkably modest compared to the flamboyant luxury seen everywhere else in the mansion, with a simple light gray coating for the walls. There was a lounge chair in the far off corner of the room that was next to a lampstand, and that was pretty much it for fancy furniture. One of the beds had a jumbled mess of blue sheets resting on top. The other bed, which was on the opposite side of the room, had a basic white sheet and a folded orange comforter on top. He assumed that that was the bed that was reserved for him, and plopped himself and his stuff down on top.</p><p>"Hmm, wonder who's my roommate."</p><p>A few raps on the door snapped him away from his thoughts. He jumped up and opened the door to find Polygon Man floating in front of him. "Oh, it's just you."</p><p>"You seem disappointed. Were you expecting someone else?"</p><p>Ratchet rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I was expecting Wonder Woman in a two piece bikini, but lo and behold, it's you instead."</p><p>"Let me warn you. Your frequent sarcasm is grinding away my patience. ...Besides, Diana wouldn't give you a slither of her time anyway."</p><p>"Look, is there something that you need, or can I go to bed now?"</p><p>"...Actually, yes. I need to address some important matters with you. May I come in?"</p><p>Ratchet nonchalantly threw his hands in the air. "You act like this is <em>my</em> house or something."</p><p>"Bah, Ratchet! Can you cease being such a pessimist for one minute of the day?" Polygon Man floated inside and took a look around the room, particularly noting the blue bed. "I hope you get along with your roommate. But speaking of the Smashers, do you care to explain to me what happened tonight?"</p><p>Ratchet flopped on the bed and looked up towards the ceiling, not thrilled of where the conversation was heading. "I don't know what you're talking about."</p><p>"Oh, you don't, do you? So you don't remember Princess Plump passing out on top of Wario?! Or how about Daxter almost getting killed by the goddess of Light?! Or what about those cats playing keep away with Mario's hat?! Or worst of all, Kratos opening his big mouth in front of everyone!"</p><p>Ratchet thought for a good long minute about how things were going. Tonight was supposed to be the night where barriers were broken. Where PlayStation and Nintendo finally came together and addressed their differences, and moved <em>past</em> that. Instead, it seems like things may have gotten even worse, and it irked Ratchet that he felt there was nothing he could do about it. He sat up and looked Polygon Man in the eye.</p><p>"I love PlayStation more than anything. Just ask Clank how glad I am to be a part of this brand. And I would give my life to see it flourish in every corner of the gaming community. But Polygon Man, I think in order for that to happen, you have to choose someone else to represent. I just don't know <em>how</em> to do what you need me to do."</p><p>"Then you will learn. I stand by my decision and will <em>not</em> think twice. I want tonight to be a lesson for you. You must learn how to tighten your leash. Put your foot down! Be the leader that I <em>know</em> you can be!"</p><p>Polygon Man watched as Ratchet stared down at the ground, contemplating the words that were just preached to him. Polygon Man never liked the idea of having any favorites among his children. However, he'd be lying if he said that there was something different about Ratchet, which made him have more confidence in the Lombax compared to others.</p><p>"I will leave you be. Get your rest, and take heed to my words, my son. Goodnight."</p><p>Polygon Man floated out of the room and closed the door behind him. Ratchet changed out of his tuxedo and into his pajamas, and buried himself in the warm covers.</p><p>"I hope the rest of the week won't be such a pain. PlayStation and Nintendo becoming allies? Yeah. What a pipe dream."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Week 1: World Tour - Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Big thanks to the guests that have left kudos!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Next Day</p><p>It was way too early in the morning to go on a fetch quest in a hotel littered with celebrities, weirdos and politicians alike. Nevertheless, Daxter found himself heading towards Jak's room, dragging his exhausted body along the carpet and struggling to find an excuse not to be in bed.</p><p>"Ugh, that floating grape has <em>got</em> to get a reality check on the wonderful world of memory foam! Just because <em>he</em> doesn't sleep doesn't mean <em>we</em> don't need to!"</p><p>After that embarrassing epic fail that was the previous night, a few of the All Stars were notified that a field trip was scheduled for the following morning. Polygon Man thought that it would be a good idea for his kids to become more familiar with the world of Nintendo and its iconic landmarks. He also hoped that it would be a breath of fresh air for them, since the past couple of days hadn't exactly been working out in their favor.</p><p>Being careful not to make too much noise, Daxter opened the door just enough to squeeze his body through the crack. He hopped onto his best friend's bed and walked up onto his chest. Jak was out cold and appeared to be in a state of discomfort. His brows were furrowed and he was shaking underneath his covers.</p><p>Daxter shrugged and began rubbing his hands together in preparation for a nice firm slap.</p><p>"Whatevs. You'll thank me later."</p><p>Daxter took his right hand, reeled all the way back and whipped it around to collide full force with Jak's cheek.</p><p>*THWACK*</p><p>"GRAAGHHH!" Jak sprung up from his bed, ripped from his nightmare, and ready to rip apart whoever disturbed him as a result.</p><p>"Jak! Get ahold of yaself! It's your old pal Dax!"</p><p>Looking down at his hands, Jak noted the purple skin, and sharp black protrusions where his nails should be. <em>"Dark. Damn it." </em>He quickly regained his correct consciousness when he realized there was no danger, and reverted back to his normal form.</p><p>"Dammit, Jak! You had me worried you were about to do something stupid!"</p><p>Jak rested against the headboard, letting a frustrated sigh escape his throat.</p><p>Daxter plopped himself down next to him. "These little nightmares of yours have been getting more common haven't they? Whaddya thinks going on?"</p><p>"It's Dark. It's getting harder to control."</p><p>A flash of concern swept across Daxter's face. Whenever it came down to discussing the serious stuff, they would change the subject, or Daxter would gloss over it with a witty joke like with any other tearjerker. Dark Eco had affected both of them in negative ways to the point where they just wanted to forget about all of it.</p><p>"Got any idea what the problem is?"</p><p>"Dunno. Guess I'm just tired. Tired of feeling angry. Tired of losing control. Tired of feeling like Polygon Man's puppet. I don't get why he just won't let us go."</p><p>"Well, when you put it like that, ya definitely not gonna like what the Boss wants us to do today."</p><p>Jak's hope for a decent day crashed the moment he began guessing what genius plan Polygon Man came up with <em>this</em> time. He ran his fingers through his green hair and stood up to start getting ready.</p><p>"What <em>now</em>?"</p><hr/><p>Outside the Donktastic Manor, Polygon Man floated around the front entrance, waiting for everyone to wake up and come out so that the trip could begin. Dr. Wright and Kapp'n joined Polygon Man since they would both be crucial assistants for the trip. Kapp'n would use a bigger, extended version of his school bus to take everyone from one place to the other, and Dr. Wright would just narrate along the way.</p><p>Reluctantly, due to the early hours of the morning, each of the All Stars who felt like coming along trickled out one by one, forming a group of just eight total. The clique consisted of: Dante, Daxter, Zeus, Kat, Jak, Sweet Tooth, Clank, and Nariko. Everyone stood around for what felt like forever, waiting for anyone else who was willing to climb out of bed to join them for the trip. Polygon Man, however, was the one who was the most impatient, and fumed over to the others to unleash his frustration.</p><p>"Where is everyone else!? I told you all to be ready at seven-thirty sharp!"</p><p>Zeus decided to speak up for everyone. "It would appear that you are burdened with only us for now. Forget the others. Let us make haste for our endeavor, so that I may return to my own affairs."</p><p>"Preposterous!" Polygon Man shouted in rage. "I wanted every single one of you to be here! That was not a request! That was a COMMAND!"</p><p>"Chill out would ya?!" Daxter shot back. "A lot of us are still trying to recover from last night. Hell, I know <em>I</em> am! My stomach feels like it's doing the YMCA right now!"</p><p>"And to keep it real," Dante started, "A lot of us aren't too thrilled to be here anyway. Had to listen to Kratos rambling all night about how he'd rather be in the 'clutches of Medusa' than here. Pretty sure he's not the only one who feels that way."</p><p>If Polygon Man had hands, he'd be facepalming right now.</p><p>"Perhaps we should reschedule," Dr. Wright suggested.</p><p>"No, no. There's no need for it," Polygon Man replied. "The trip will continue with all of you. You all will be rewarded for your obedience. However, I cannot say the same for the others. They-"</p><p>"Lemme guess," Daxter interrupted, "'They shall be <em>punished</em> for their disobedience!'" Daxter put heavy emphasis into his impersonation of his leader, who also wasn't thrilled on being mocked. "Whaddya gonna do? Give em' a slap on the wrist? It ain't their fault that you told us last minute that we'd have to wake up when we should still be catching Z's."</p><p>"Enough! You may be correct Daxter, but there is still no excuse that less than half of my children are present for this trip! Now off you go!"</p><p>"You won't be joining us?" Nariko asked.</p><p>"I will not. This is to be an educational experience for you only. Hopefully you all will also come to embrace your stay afterwards."</p><p>The group of eight walked toward the school bus that Kapp'n proudly stood by.</p><p>"A bus? What happened to the Caddy?" Daxter asked.</p><p>"No limo today, lad," Kapp'n responded. "Today, we be usin' me trusty Joanna for transport!"</p><p>"Joanna? You… <em>named</em> your vehicle?" Dr. Wright gave a condescending look as he questioned Kapp'n's odd kink.</p><p>"I've been 'round the world too many times to be planked by young folk like ye. On the bus ye go!"</p><p>Everyone climbed aboard and strapped themselves in with ease, except for Zeus who had his head scraping the ceiling due to his towering figure.</p><p>"How long of a drive are we looking at," Dante asked. "Might try and get some more shuteye on the way there."</p><p>"First stop is the Kingdom of Hyrule! Well, Hyrule Castle, to be more specific," Dr. Wright clarified. "It's a quite flattering place to start our trip. But don't worry. The locations we'll travel to won't be far at all, thanks to the power of warp technology." Dr. Wright took his hand and positioned it underneath a steel ring that was fastened onto the dash of the bus. "This handy device will make our travels as quick as a snap of your finger." *Snap*</p><p>Zeus scoffed. "You speak of man-made contraptions that harness the power of sorcery. Ha! Such toys should not be in the hands of feeble mortals like you."</p><p>"Sorcery, magic, whatever the hell you wanna call it," chimed Dante. "If you don't like it, how 'bout you walk to Hyrule instead?"</p><p>Dr. Wright cleared his throat. "Ahem! Let's stay behaved, shall we? We will commence our travels in just a moment."</p><p>Kapp'n pressed a button on the dash, and a huge portal opened just a little ways ahead of them. He stepped on the gas and before they knew it, they were blasting off toward the vortex to begin their trip of a lifetime.</p><hr/><p>Over at Smash Mansion, news of the tour quickly spread due to word of mouth. Once Zelda was told that her Kingdom would be the first of which they would visit, she felt like she had no choice but to be there to represent her world in good light. She wasn't much of a fan of preparing for an event under constrained time limits, so she did the best she could for what time she had left to get ready. Skipping breakfast, she threw on some clothes and got ready to leave for her castle. Once there, she planned to put on a dress that she felt was more appropriate for the occasion.</p><p>From her room, Zelda made haste for the Portal Room, which is where the Smashers used warp gates to quickly make it to and fro from different worlds. On the way there, she sped through the mess hall that was usually always like a circus in the mornings. She'd be lucky to make it out of there without getting in the crossfire of a food fight between Waluigi and Wario.</p><p>While focused on making a PokePuff sandwich for Pikachu, Ash felt a sudden rush of air blow past him, and looked up to see Zelda making way for the exit. A smile grew on his lips. "Hey, Zelda! Wait up!"</p><p>The Princess turned around and apologized for what she believed was rude of her. "My apologies, Ash. I was in such a hurry, I suppose I didn't see you there."</p><p>"Hey, that's no biggie. I-"</p><p>"If you'll excuse me, I must hurry to Hyrule to prepare for some guests that will be coming soon."</p><p>Ash's smile grew even wider. "The All Stars, am I right?"</p><p>"Indeed. How were you informed already?"</p><p>"News got around pretty fast." Ash chuckled as he stroked the bill of his hat, watching Pikachu get lost in a world of sensual delight. "But that's what I was just about to mention. You mind if I come along with you? I wanna see if they'll let me travel with them on the tour! You see, I'm really thrilled to have all these new fighters here, and I wanna hang out with them as much as I can!"</p><p>"I don't see why not." Zelda nodded her head. "Very well. Come. Follow me!"</p><hr/><p>Just like Dr. Wright promised, everyone found themselves in Hyrule in nearly a flash, but not without almost losing their breakfast in the process. Kapp'n turned around in his seat and couldn't help but laugh at his disheveled passengers who looked like they've been through a hardcore acid trip. "Hee, hee! First time ye wee landlovers usin' a warp gate, eh? No sweatin' it! Ye'll get used to it."</p><p>"The Battle Royale tournament does have its own means of trans-dimensional transportation..," Clank replied as he struggled to remove himself from an upside position in his seat.</p><p>"...Just not as overbearing, I'm afraid," Nariko finished the sentence for Clank.</p><p>"You sound like you do this a lot," Jak growled out as he pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>"O' course I do! I'm sure ye know I be an Assist Fighter. That means I gotta haul bottom when one o' them Smash fellas call me. How do ye reckon' this old man gets to the action so lickity-split?"</p><p>Having enough of the view from inside the bus, everyone stepped out of the vehicle and allowed themselves to be swept away by the serenity of Hyrule Castle. It was a glorious castle chock-full of video game history, and embodied the definition of royalty.</p><p>Dr. Wright cleared his throat again and began his narration. "The soil you are standing on, my friends, is sacred soil." He stretched his hands out to the sky and shouted, "<em>This</em> is Hyrule! The heart of Nintendo! The birthplace of gaming for many children across the world!" He paused when he hadn't garnered any sort of reaction from the others. They all just stood, hands to their sides, with blank faces. "Is there a problem? A-Are you not excited?"</p><p>"Umm, sure we are! Uhm, this is great!" Kat forced herself to sound much more ecstatic than what she actually was. The last thing she'd want is to hurt Dr. Wright's feelings.</p><p>Dante shrugged. "What? You want us foaming at the mouth or something? All I see is an ordinary castle."</p><p>Before the conversation could go further, everyone turned their attention toward a woman approaching them accompanied by two guards by her sides.</p><p>Dr. Wright clasped his hands in excitement when he realized who it was. "Oh! Ms. Impa! To whom do I owe the pleasure?" He put his forearm across his abdomen and bowed.</p><p>Impa crossed her arms and got straight to the point. "No need for the formalities. The Princess is prepping upstairs, so I'll be your guide until she's ready."</p><p>"Erhm. Well, I wasn't informed I'd be receiving help," Dr. Wright nervously murmured.</p><p>"Calm down. I'm not here to steal your thunder." She beckoned everyone with her finger, and turned around to begin leading them up to the castle entrance. "Follow me."</p><p>Along the path, guards stood in formation on both sides with their spears piercing the clouds above. Thanks to the presence of security and the oddly quiet environment, the vibe was a little intimidating and really set in just how important Zelda was. Impa approached the drawbridge and raised her left fist slightly in the air, signaling everyone to pause while the drawbridge lowered. Afterwards, the group made their way inside, and Dr. Wright adjusted his tie in preparation for his history teaching.</p><hr/><p>Looking down from her window, Zelda watched as her guests trudged along into her castle. Just a few minutes ago, she had practically hosted her own dance show as she twisted and twirled in the mirror to check for any imperfections in her outfit. Feeling satisfied with her attire, all she had left to do now was squash the butterflies in her stomach. She still wasn't quite sure how to address the group of strangers that she knew pretty much nothing about. Well, nothing except that they were apart of a rival group that professed hatred for her family for years! Even the King of Hyrule had excused himself after his request to ban the All Stars from the castle was denied by Master Hand.</p><p>With a deep breath, she removed herself from the ledge of her window and opened the door to leave her room. She was caught off guard to see Link relaxed against the wall in the hallway while listening to Ash chat. Ash stopped talking to allow the two Hylians to greet each other.</p><p>"Oh. I suppose I should've expected to see you here," Zelda stated. "You are just as much a part of this Kingdom as I am. You must've been prepared in advance... unlike me."</p><p>Link crossed his arms and flashed a smile, giving her confirmation of her question with a nod.</p><p>"There's no need to be a prude about it," she teased. "Let's not keep our guests waiting any longer."</p><hr/><p>Down in the foyer of the castle, Impa and Dr. Wright kept the tour going along smoothly by giving the All Stars a rundown on the anatomy of Hyrule Castle.</p><p>"And finally, we have our choice of decorum, which gives the royal palace its signature finishing touch," spoke Dr. Wright. "Everything here has been chosen with both quality and representation in mind. For example, these paintings that line the walls have portraits of those that have impacted Hyrule's history. Others, such as this rendition of Princess Peach, have been personally requested by Princess Zelda due to Her Highness' close friendship."</p><p>In the back of the group, Sweet Tooth held his hand up in the air, like a student waiting for their question to be answered by the professor. Caught off guard by the unusual formality, Impa gave the greenlight. "You there, with the mask. Got a question?"</p><p>"Why do they call her Peach? Does she taste like it?"</p><p>"Heh, only one way to find out..." Dante topped off his innuendo with a clever wink.</p><p>"What's it to ye?" Kapp'n argued. "Why do ye go by Sweet Tooth? Sound like it be a stripper name to me, mate!"</p><p>Sweet Tooth burst out laughing, thinking back to the effed up way he earned his moniker. "Those who know never live to tell why."</p><p>"Regardless of her name, Her Graciousness is royalty, and you'd all do well to honor her if she ever blesses you with her presence!" Dr. Wright replied slightly annoyed.</p><p>"Honor? Bah. A god such as I does not bow before <em>any</em> mortal." Zeus commented but no one really paid him attention.</p><p>"Attention!" Hyrule's guards struck the end of their spears against the stone floor twice, filling the interior with a metallic echo that silenced all conversation.</p><p>All eyes gazed upon Zelda as she descended from the large system of stairs that functioned as the centerpiece of the foyer. Ash and Link followed right behind her.</p><p>"Y-Your Excellence!" Dr. Wright swiftly brought his face mere centimeters to the floor, bowing in reverence of the Princess.</p><p>"Will ye relax, ye scurvy bloke?!" Kapp'n chastised. "She may be royalty but not the kind that'll send ye to the guillotine for not kissing her flippers! Stand up!"</p><p>Dr. Wright stood up just as quickly as he had knelt down, and dusted his burgundy suit off. "E-Erhm… perhaps you're right."</p><p>Firmly placing her feet on the last step, Zelda looked to her left and noticed Impa standing off to the side with the other guards. She smiled and waved at her caretaker. "Oh, Impa! As always, I am grateful for your unwavering loyalty. Many thanks for your assistance today."</p><p>Impa allowed a smile to break free as she replied. "Y'know it's always an honor, my Princess. May I be excused?"</p><p>"You wish to leave so suddenly? Our day has only just begun."</p><p>Impa's eyes wandered over to the group of strangers that Zelda was just about to address. "I understand. I'm just feeling a little... under the weather."</p><p>Though a little disheartened not to have another friend in her presence, Zelda let Impa go. "Very well. You are dismissed, but I hope to see you again before the day is over."</p><p>"Thank you." Before she turned around to leave, Impa shot a look over to Link, who interpreted everything she needed to say through her eyes. <em>"Be on your guard around this lot."</em></p><p>Link simply nodded, acknowledging that he fully understood her even though he felt comfortable around the All Stars so far.</p><p>From left to right, Zelda scanned her crowd of guests and introduced herself. "Greetings everyone! I am Princess Zelda of the Kingdom of Hyrule. But 'Zelda' will do just fine. May I ask each of your names?"</p><p>"Allow me, your Majesty," Dr. Wright said with a bow of reverence. He reached his hand out across the line of All Stars and began revealing their names. "Starting from my right, we have Clank, Sweet Tooth, Nariko, Kat, Dante, Zeus, Jak, and Daxter."</p><p>"A pleasure to meet you all." She stepped to the side and put the two guys behind her in the spotlight. "The gentlemen behind me are two very good friends of mine. His name is Link." Link gave a simple nod and smile to the crowd. "...And his name is Ash."</p><p>Ash adjusted his hat and gave a wave. "Yep, and this is my partner Pikachu!"</p><p>"Pika, Pika! Pi?!"</p><p>Next thing Pikachu knew, he was being bombarded by kisses and hugs from Kat; just another person fondling over his cuteness as soon as they see him.</p><p>"He's so plush and squishy! What a cutie!" Kat stretched his red cheeks in and out like a rubber band, making a snapping noise fill the castle along with her hysterical giggling.</p><p>"Pikaaa…" Pikachu was starting to get annoyed. He had gotten used to people losing their minds over how adorable he was time and time again. Yet, he still had his limits.</p><p>"Uhm… I wouldn't keep doing that if I were you…" Ash warned.</p><p>"Oh, but how could I stop? He's like a little drop of sunshine and I want him aaaaall to myself!"</p><p>"I'm warning you…" Ash continued, yet getting no further in convincing her than before.</p><p>"Peee kaa chooo! Peee kaa chooo!" Kat chimed his species' name as she continued her assault. "Peee kaa-"</p><p>"CHUUUU!" *ZAAAAAP*</p><p>Ash tried to run but wasn't fast enough as both of them received a shock treatment and sizzling afros to top it all off with. "I told ya to quit it…" A thick puff of smoke escaped his throat.</p><p>"As the Princess was saying," Dr. Wright continued, "Ash and Link are veteran fighters along with Princess Zelda. Because of that, they know each other fairly well."</p><p>"Alright, hold the phone!" Everyone turned to Daxter, who made himself the center of attention in the room. He facepalmed and pointed his finger at his buddy. "Jak, after all we've been through, you've <em>never</em> told me that you had a twin brother! What gives?!" Daxter turned his pointed finger toward Link, who wasn't comfortable being put on the spot like that. Link's comfort zone was further abused when Daxter jumped onto his head and took ahold of his ears. "See look! Same ears, same hair, same eyes! Same ugly mug! Ya see?!"</p><p>"Hmm, it certainly would appear that they share <em>very</em> similar features," Clank pondered out loud.</p><p>Link closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, not giving in to his loss of patience with Daxter balancing himself on his head.</p><p>"Daxter, be cool. We don't know each other." Jak walked up and yanked his buddy off of Link's head and apologized for Daxter's awkward outburst. "Ignore him. He has a habit of blowing things out of proportion."</p><p>"And <em>you</em> have a habit of blowing smoke outta your ass! You two are brothers until evidence says otherwise! I <em>demand</em> a DNA test this instant! Hey, Doc, hook us up would ya?"</p><p>Dr. Wright ignored the request and Link remained silent as he straightened himself out.</p><p>Zelda found herself giggling at the banter between the two best friends. She called out to Jak as he returned to his cozy spot in the back of the crowd. "May I ask what world you two hail from?"</p><p>Caught off guard by her question, Jak looked for a way to decline revealing anything about themselves, not wanting to think about the past. "Nowhere important." His response was a little more cut and dried than what he'd liked it to be, but it got the job done.</p><p>"Oh," she quietly responded, not nearly amused as she was just a few seconds ago.</p><p>Just in time to change the subject, Ash shouted, "THIS IS AWESOME!" He swiftly jumped from one All Star to the other, shaking their hands as he went along. "It's so great to finally meet you guys! I was just wondering though, weren't there more of you?"</p><p>"Yeah, so? Who cares about those lazy motherfu-" Clank nudged Sweet Tooth before he could finish, physically reminding him that they were supposed to be maintaining a good image for PlayStation. If word got out that most of the All Stars just skipped out on something important like this, it would make it seem like they have a lack of respect.</p><p>Sweet Tooth scratched his fiery head and continued. "Uhh, sorry, kiddo. They couldn't make it."</p><p>"Don't worry, kid," Dante reassured. "You're looking at the best of the best from our team."</p><p>Ash nodded and continued. "Well, I was wondering if you guys mind if I tag along? You see, I'm just really eager to get to know everyone and I think a round trip of the universe is a great way to do it!"</p><p>"Sure you can come kid." Sweet Tooth said.</p><p>"Sweet! This trip is gonna rock," Ash exclaimed with a raised fist in the air.</p><p>"Pika!"</p><p>"Mmhmm," Sweet Tooth replied. "Just don't expect any candy along the way. I asked if we could make a stop at the Wonka factory. Doc said no, so this trip is already a bust for me."</p><p>"Heh, candy is the<em> least</em> thing I'm worried about. I get <em>my </em>rush from the smell of adventure, and the bold taste of new friendships! Right buddy?"</p><p>"Pika Pi!"</p><p>Kat perked up and ran up to Ash to where their noses were nearly touching. "Ooooh! Does that mean you'll bring Pikachu with you?!"</p><p>Ash felt a little awkward and clutched onto Pikachu tighter, not sure what her intentions were with his partner. "Y-yeah. But just don't upset him and he won't shock you anymore."</p><p>"Nah, it's worth it. That afro looked kinda hot on you," Dante teased.</p><p>Kat poked her tongue out at Dante and swept Pikachu into her arms, twirling around with him in the air. "I's so sowwy I made you mad, Pikachu. You forgive me?" Kat asked as she nuzzled herself against the top of his head.</p><p>"Pikaaa…" Pikachu flatly replied, feeling like he didn't really have a choice in the matter. She showered him in more wet kisses and pointed towards the exit of the Castle. "Let's go everyone!"</p><p>"Agreed," said Dr. Wright.</p><p>Before everyone started to make for the doors, Nariko glanced at Zelda and Link. "Princess Zelda, why don't you and your Knight accompany us as well?"</p><p>Zelda smiled, humbled by the request. "A fine idea, but I'm sure we'd be taking up space. And really, 'Zelda' is quite alright."</p><p>"Don't be silly," Kapp'n argued. "There's a coupla empty seats that's just beggin' for a bootie to be placed in em'."</p><p>Link secured his sword in his sheath and flashed a smirk, signaling he was okay with the idea.</p><p>"Very well," she concluded.</p><p>"Alright," Ash exclaimed. "LET'S ROCK AND ROLL!"</p><p>"PIKA PIKA!"</p><hr/><p>After making it out of the castle, everyone loaded into Kapp'n's bus and prepared for their next stop together.</p><p>"Seatbelts, me buckos!" Kapp'n shouted. "Smashville be our next stop on the Nintendo tour! Courtesy from our darlins from Animal Crossing!"</p><p>Clank looked at the pamphlet he picked up earlier, and studied the section that detailed the stage that Kapp'n was talking about. "Ooooh! Interesting! It says here that Smashville is home to one of the most charming sceneries out of many Nintendo locations."</p><p>"YES!" Shouted Ash. "You guys will love it there! Everyone is super friendly! You'll see!"</p><p>"If they're any bit as loud as you, I'll have to get myself a pair of earplugs," Daxter mumbled with his fingers in his ears.</p><p>Dante chuckled. "Daxter, I don't think anyone can be as annoying as you, even if they were being held gunpoint."</p><p>"Enough yappin' back there! Get ready to sail through the warp gate," Kapp'n announced.</p><p>Sweet Tooth huffed. "Ughhh. I'm still having flashbacks from that<em> last</em> warp gate. Definitely gonna have to kill <em>something </em>soon before I lose my marbles." Link reached in his pocket and tossed Sweet Tooth a pack of M&amp;M's that he was saving for later, so that the clown wouldn't go on about his psychopathic ways of curing stress. Sweet Tooth caught the candy and struggled not to cry. "I think me and the elf just became best friends."</p><p>Kapp'n put the bus in drive and stepped on the gas. He pressed a button on the dash and a warp gate appeared in the distance. "Here we go y'all," he said as he raced towards the portal. In just a few seconds, as they passed through the portal, the beautiful scenery of Hyrule was replaced with flashes of bright lights as the bus transcended through space at unimaginable speed.</p><p>*FLASH*</p><p>A final flash of numbing light followed by a huge bang signaled that they were in their next destination. Kapp'n was the first out of the group to open his eyes, and upon doing so, he realized something wasn't quite right. Slightly panicking, he felt around for a bus seat or his steering wheel, but instead found nothing but carpet! Kapp'n's panicking was sped up even faster by the sound of Daxter's obnoxious voice.</p><p>"Hey! What gives?! Where's that 'charming scenery' that Tin-Can was babbling about a second ago?!"</p><p>Dr. Wright wiped his glasses, looked around, and was just as shocked as the driver next to him. As luck would have it, they weren't in Smashville, they were in the Living Room stage somehow! Link elbowed Zelda, gesturing for her to open her eyes and look around at what everyone else was freaking out about.</p><p>"Oh my. This isn't good," she murmured.</p><p>"Guys, what happened to the bus?!" Ash asked. "How come we aren't on the bus anymore?!"</p><p>"It would appear that a malfunction has occurred while we were traveling from one world to the other," Clank theorized.</p><p>"DUH! Ya think?! We've shrunk down to bite-size in some dude's house for crying out loud!" Daxter exclaimed.</p><p>"He's right," Kat agreed. "You don't think there's rats or cockroaches ready to gobble us up do you?!"</p><p>"Actually," Zelda started, "You'd be surprised to know that this room is sometimes used as a battlefield field during tournaments."</p><p>"Yeah," Ash commented. "It's a super fun place to battle!"</p><p>"Forget about it bein' fun, lad!" Kapp'n replied. "We <em>ain't</em> supposed to be here! We need to get to Joanna and figure out what the heck is goin' on!"</p><p>Jak crossed his arms and spoke up. "Well, it looks like we won't be doing that any time soon. Take a look around. We're trapped." Everyone noticed the rows of bars that surrounded the carpet in their vicinity. They seemed to have ended up in a cage that was intended for pets.</p><p>Zeus, just as frustrated as everyone else, turned his anger towards Kapp'n and Dr. Wright. "Speak mortals! Explain yourselves! Is this some kind of joke?!"</p><p>"Ye wee boot-sniffer!" Kapp'n shot back. "If this be a tale, why do ye think <em>we're</em> just as flabbergasted as ye?! We be all in this pickle together!"</p><p>"Foolish creature! You <em>DARE</em> raise your voice against a god?!"</p><p>"Everyone shut the hell up for a sec!" Dante shouted. He then pointed toward Dr. Wright. "Doc, you're the smartass of the group. You got any ideas in that big green head of yours?"</p><p>Dr. Wright pushed his glasses up and tried to come up with some sort of theory to keep everyone calm. "I… welp, you see… uh, there's… well…" He facepalmed and turned toward Kapp'n. "Has this ever happened before?"</p><p>Kapp'n could only shrug. "There ain't ever been a problem with the teleporter on my bus! We had a wee bit o' hiccups with the Portal Room back in them old Melee days, but that was because she was still new. <em>This</em> is something else, me bucko!"</p><p>Zelda stepped forward and spoke. "If I may, do you suppose it's because the All Stars are foreigners to our worlds?"</p><p>Kat parked next to Zelda and replied. "See, I was thinking the same thing. But, that wouldn't make any sense, because we made it to Hyrule with no trouble."</p><p>"I am afraid that we must come up with a plan as quickly as possible," Clank warned as he studied further about the stage from his pamphlet. "It says here that the Living Room stage is also home to animals that will occasionally interfere with ongoing battles. Given our current size, those creatures will pose a severe threat if they decide to greet us."</p><p>"Aww, that wouldn't be a problem," Ash casually replied with a wave of his hand. "They're just a buncha cute kittens and puppies. Even if we <em>did</em> get attacked by them, we'd all just… wait, hold on a sec…" Ash paused to think about what he was saying, then looked up at his fellow Smashers to see that they all shared the same concerned look. The Smashers then turned their worried faces over to the All Stars.</p><p>"Oh no," Daxter started. "I don't like that look! What's with the look?!"</p><p>"You all are hiding something from us," Nariko stated. Though she sounded somewhat calm, everyone could tell through her tone that her frustration was beginning to get the best of her. "Free your tongues. Tell us what has beckoned your silence. Now."</p><p>"No, It's not that we're hiding anything-" Zelda began but was cut off by Dr. Wright clearing his throat. She looked at him and he responded by nodding his head.</p><p>He turned back towards the All Stars and sighed. "Look, we just don't want you all to panic even further. The situation is, normally, if someone was to… <em>"Gosh. What's a not-so-bad word for 'die?'"</em> Dr. Wright thought for the best possible way to break the news, but Kapp'n decided to say it instead.</p><p>"Alright," he started, "I'm gonna cut to the chase. If fate decides to nab one o' ye, there ain't no comin' back. Savvy that? Since none o' ye be registered fighters, ye won't respawn like one o' us can." Kapp'n turned around to his fellow Smashers. "<em>We</em> ain't off the hook either! Look around. Do ye spot a battle goin' on?! No?! Exactly! That means them respawn watchamacallits ain't workin' for us anyway, because they ain't bein' used for this stage right now! There be <em>no</em> point in tryin' to beat around the bush. We need to haul bottom out o' here as fast as possible!"</p><p>Sweet Tooth tapped his chin as he thought out loud. "Hmmm. After all we've been through, we end up as a treat for some four-legged brat? Not how I pictured taking my last breath."</p><p>"The clown is correct," Zeus stated as he began to speak to everyone. "Where is your confidence? We are capable of much more than this! Postures straight, and heads high! We <em>will</em> be victorious!"</p><p>"Piiika!"</p><p>The pep talk was interrupted by the sound of metal clanking. Everyone turned to see Jak pushing with all his might to try and pry the cage door open. "Damn. Won't budge."</p><p>Dante jogged over to help Jak out. "Here, lemme give you a hand." Both of them tried pushing against the door to no avail.</p><p>"How long is it gonna take you blockheads to realize the door is <em>obviously</em> LOCKED?!" Daxter shouted.</p><p>Dante let go of the door and huffed. There was no point in wasting his energy.</p><p>"Hmph." Link grunted, and everyone looked over toward him to see what caught his attention. He pointed toward a shiny object that was hanging on a dresser not too far from them. It was a key!</p><p>"Now we're talking!" Ash jumped up and punched the air.</p><p>"Now, we must ponder a strategy to retrieve it," Nariko commented.</p><p>"That's easy," Kat responded. She went right up to the bars of the cage and transitioned into her gravity shifting form; Dusty dematerializing into multiple black specs around her body. She drew the key in closer and closer to the cage, until it was just at the entrance to the door. "Ta da!"</p><p>"Good goin', me bucko," Kapp'n exclaimed. "We just gotta figure out how to open it from the outside."</p><p>"How though?" Dr. Wright asked. "None of us are small enough to squeeze through the bars."</p><p>"None of us except…" Nariko trailed off as she turned and smirked at Daxter. Everyone else turned and smiles crept on their faces as well.</p><p>Daxter knew he was in deep, so he crossed his arms and looked away. "Nope! Nada! No can do! I am <em>not</em> going out there just to end up as catnip!"</p><p>"Do not worry, Daxter," Clank reassured while approaching the ottsel. "I will assist you. I can use my Heli-Pack to give you the altitude needed to reach the lock."</p><p>"Well what's gonna happen when Garfield shows up to get his grub?! Those kung-fu moves aren't gonna work on a cat that's quadruple our size!"</p><p>Clank remained calm and reassured. "We will be done before any visitors arrive. Let us take advantage of the time we have now."</p><p>Daxter sighed, seeing there was no point of continuing an argument. "I guess you're right. Let's get this over with."</p><p>The robot and ottsel walked over to the front door where the key lay on the other side, waiting to be used. Clank shifted through the bars relatively easy, despite being inflexible. However, Daxter right behind him was having a bit of trouble because of his slightly larger size.</p><p>Clank turned around, grabbed his partner's arm, and pulled with all the might his servos would give. "Almost… there…" he said as Daxter's arm seemed to stretch farther and farther as he pulled. *WHAP* Daxter finally made it through but not before snapping into Clank like a rubber band. Both of them sat up and got their bearings as fast as they could. Daxter grabbed the key, which was heavier than it looked.</p><p>"Alright, hoist me up."</p><p>Clank activated his Heli-Pack and attached himself to Daxter's back. Though Clank was oversized for Daxter, the method would still do, since it was just a straight shot up to the lock.</p><p>"So this is how Ratchet feels with you strapped to him all the time. No wonder he's always so grumpy."</p><p>"Jokes can wait until we are safe once again," Clank said, getting irritated. From inside the cage, everyone kept a lookout for any "visitors" that could show up. The Living Room stage was always one of the more laidback places in the Smash tournament. But with their given situation, there was a sense of dread that plagued the back of their minds.</p><p>Clank spun his propellers, giving them the altitude needed to reach the keyhole. Daxter tilted the lock as best he could with one hand, and inserted the key with the other hand. His tongue stuck out the side of his mouth while he twisted and jiggled the key back and forth, hoping that by any second now that the lock would give way. Just like he hoped, he heard that satisfying "click" and felt the bottom of the lock release. All that was left now was to get the lock from off the door hinge.</p><p>"Clank, angle me forward a little bit, buddy. This lock is pretty heavy and I can't get a good grip on it."</p><p>"How about this?" Clank asked, tilting their bodies slightly forward.</p><p>"Yeah. Keep me steady just like that."</p><p>*RUFF*</p><p>Daxter's ears twitched when he heard what he desperately wished was a figment of his imagination. "Clank, <em>please</em> tell me that was you working on your dog impersonations again."</p><p>"I am afraid that was not me."</p><p>*RUFF* *RUFF*</p><p>Everyone watched from inside the cage, and their hearts all dropped when they saw a Chocolate Lab appear from a far off doorway at the front of the house. It was a puppy, make no mistake, but it also appeared to be a towering beast due to their height.</p><p>Dante turned back towards the two outside and urged them to finish the job. "DAXTER, HURRY UP!"</p><p>"I'm trying, can't ya see?!"</p><p>Sweet Tooth ran over, grabbed a hold of the door, and tried shaking it to help the lock loop disconnect from the hinge.</p><p>"That's not helping! THAT'S <em>NOT</em> HELPING!" Daxter shouted.</p><p>That lab couldn't be happier that he had some new toys to play with! He wagged his tail back and forth and barked a couple of more times, then began making his way over to the cage.</p><p>"Be hasteful, young one! The behemoth approaches!" Zeus warned.</p><p>Daxter took his legs and wrapped them around the base of the lock for some extra leverage, and pulled with every fiber in his body.<em> "Come on! Come on!" </em>Clank also detached himself from Daxter's back and offered support by helping to pull the lock out; leaving them both at the mercy of gravity. Suddenly, he felt a quick change in position as he felt the lock unfasten from the hinge, followed by a solid thud from the lock dropping on the carpet. They both grabbed onto the cage door just in time to avoid falling, and tried pulling it open. Sweet Tooth, with the help of Dante and Jak nearby, pushed the door wide open for everyone to scurry out of the cage before they became a meal.</p><p>Clank and Daxter were left hanging onto the top of the door, but they panicked when they saw that the dog had singled them out and was swiftly approaching.</p><p>*RUFF*</p><p>"HANG IN THERE, DAX!" Jak hollered.</p><p>"NOW IS <em>NOT</em> THE TIME FOR YOUR CHEESY PUNS, JAK!"</p><p>The gleeful puppy ran up to the cage and put his paws against the front side. His weight caused the door to crash back to a shut against the cage, which almost made Daxter and Clank lose their grip.</p><p>"Heavens! Somebody do something!" Dr. Wright shouted.</p><p>Daxter got a huge whiff of bad dog breath as the animal sniffed them up and down against the door; most likely to decide if they were worth tasting or not. Zeus ascended in the air, charged his lightning attacks, and shot small bolts down upon the dog. He yelped in pain with each bolt that hit its body, which discouraged it from investigating the scene any further.</p><p>"Zeus, don't hurt the poor thing!" Kat shouted.</p><p>"Yeah!" Ash agreed while he ran towards the two still hanging on the door.</p><p>"Just keep that thing distracted while we get Clank and Daxter!" Jak shouted, running right behind Ash.</p><p>The puppy shook off the bolts and leaped at Zeus, who shifted to the right just in time to avoid the attack. Ash and Jak ran back up to the cage to retrieve their allies.</p><p>"Jump! I'll catch you!" Ash hollered.</p><p>"I got you Dax! Come on!"</p><p>Clank jumped and was caught by Ash who dived just in time to sweep the robot in his arms. Daxter let go and landed right on top of Jak's head and the two spared a moment of joy to be reunited with each other.</p><p>"<em>Man</em> does it feel good to see your dopey face again!" Daxter joked. "Now let's scram!"</p><p>The four of them ran to catch up with the others who were just about halfway across the room. Link was the leader of the crowd and was making his way toward a dresser, which they could use to hide underneath from the puppy. Zeus charged one last bolt, shot it at the lab's tail and made direct contact. He yelped in pain one last time, ran off towards the back of the house, and disappeared up the stairs.</p><p>"There! That should discourage that wretched beast from meddling in our affairs any longer."</p><p>Zeus flew over and rejoined everyone who was now not too far from the dresser. Link slowed his pace when he looked off into the room adjacent to the dresser, which was the kitchen, and noticed something familiar sticking out.</p><p>Zelda, who was running next to him, noticed his shift in attention and averted her eyes to what Link was staring at. "Up ahead, you all!" She called and pointed toward the counter top of the kitchen.</p><p>"Is that what I <em>think</em> it is?!" Sweet Tooth asked, pretending to be shocked.</p><p>"It appears so," Nariko confirmed. "Forward everyone! Our blessing awaits!"</p><p>"Piiika!"</p><p>Right on top of the kitchen counter, the back end of the bus could be spotted right next to the coffee maker, and everyone began rushing into the kitchen. Instinctively, everybody whipped their heads back and forth to assess their level of safety. So far, everything was good. Ash fell on his butt, took his hat off and caught his breath.</p><p>"Pika Pi?"</p><p>"I'm fine buddy. Man, things sure are different here when you aren't battling. I've never seen this part of the stage before."</p><p>Kat turned around and stomped her foot at Zeus. "You big bully! You didn't have to<em> hurt</em> that animal! All we asked is for you to distract it!"</p><p>"Be wary of your tone, little girl! Shall I have spared my assistance in exchange for the lives of our comrades?!"</p><p>Zelda walked over and stood between the two. "Please. Let's not argue anymore."</p><p>"Her Majesty is right," Dr. Wright agreed. "We need to figure out a way up there before that dog or who <em>knows</em> what else comes back."</p><p>"How ye reckon we get our booties up there?!" Kapp'n asked.</p><p>"We better figure something out quick. Look." Dante pointed behind them toward the doorway of the kitchen that had a tabby poking her head around the corner, waiting patiently for an opportunity to get closer.</p><p>The cat's patient glare sent chills down everybody's spine. They knew that in just one quick leap, she could be snacking on them like sardines.</p><p>Kapp'n turned to Dr. Wright and grabbed his shirt. "Do something, lad!"</p><p>"Why does everyone keep turning to me?! I'm not God! I don't have the answer to all your petty problems, dammit!"</p><p>Kat snapped her fingers and pointed toward an empty food bowl that was on the side of the refrigerator. "Guys! In there!"</p><p>Clank tilted his head and asked the question that everyone else was thinking. "There? But I don't see h-"</p><p>"Just trust me!" She interrupted.</p><p>"You heard her command! <em>Move</em>!" Nariko shouted.</p><p>Everyone burst out into a sprint and rushed over to that bowl as fast as they could. The tabby just watched what appeared to be weird bugs crawling in her territory. Her curiosity was captured but not totally enough to physically investigate. Sweet Tooth jumped in the bowl first, followed by Link and then everyone else. As everyone got settled in the bowl, Kat ran behind them and began lifting the bowl by forming a stasis field around it. She then hopped in the bowl herself, stood in the middle and continued giving everyone an elevator ride to the top of the kitchen counter.</p><p>Link kept a close eye on the cat, anticipating the creature to strike at any moment's notice. When the tabby realized what was going on, she leapt at the anomaly before it was out of her reach. In what seemed like just a flash, the cat was in the air and just seconds from colliding with everyone. They were nearly to the top of the counter and just needed a couple of more inches to safely land. However, that cat was able to stretch her arm <em>just</em> enough to clip the edge of the bowl, causing one edge to nearly tip over, and those near the edge close to falling out. Dante grabbed Ash by the shirt before he could fall backward.</p><p>"HUWAAA!"</p><p>"Easy, kid! Stay with me!"</p><p>All their attention turned to a shrill scream that overpowered everyone else's shouts of fear. Zelda was dangerously close to falling out of the bowl and was hanging on to the edge with just one arm! Kat struggled to move faster to reach the top but was getting tired from controlling the combined mass of everybody and the ceramic object beneath them. Zelda's hand slipped off the edge, and she began falling toward the ground. The person closest to her, Link, threw himself forward just in time to catch her by the arm. In the moment, he then noticed a different hand had also latched onto her other arm. He looked to his right and saw Jak struggling to pull her up as well. Jak looked over and the two men shared a glance. Link nodded and they combined their strength and pulled the princess up to safety.</p><p>Right on cue, Kat safely landed everyone on the kitchen counter top, now safe from any further danger. Everyone climbed out of the bowl and took a moment to catch their breath, and Ash used the opportunity to bask in their success. "Heh heh, YEAH! We did it! That was awesome!"</p><p>"Pikachu!"</p><p>Dante crossed his arms and struggled to prevent a smile from creeping across his face. For him, it felt good to have someone else who laughed in the face of danger. "You sound pretty happy for someone who almost died. Wanna go back down there so we can do it all over again?"</p><p>Nariko turned to Kat and rested her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Brave thinking, Alua. Our hearts would cease to hold life if it weren't for your selflessness. Thank you."</p><p>"Aww, shucks, sis! It was nothin'!"</p><p>Link was crouched down, studying Zelda's body to be sure she didn't suffer any injuries from their close call. She perched on her knees, while her hand rested over her heart in an effort to soothe the beating in her chest. She took a few breaths and opened her eyes to see Link looking back at her with his worried look.</p><p>"No need to be concerned. I am well. Thank you… <em>dearly</em>." She spoke from the bottom of her heart.</p><p>After Link nodded and stood up, Zelda then noticed Jak standing off to the side with his back turned toward everybody. Despite his unfriendly demeanor, Zelda rose to her feet and carefully approached him. She let her hand hover in the air, slightly hesitating, before she eventually let it rest on his shoulder.</p><p>"I thank you, as well," she nearly whispered.</p><p>Instinctively, Jak moved to shove off her hand from his body. Usually, people only did that gesture when they were looking to catch a bolt of plasma from him. When he realized who it was, he backed off, mentally cursing himself for nearly doing something uncalled for. Instead of looking at her, he looked off to the side and crossed his arms, only nodding his head to reply, similarly to Link.</p><p>After she was refused a verbal response, she straightened herself and pressed on, growing slightly frustrated at his slack attitude. "It was a needless sacrifice that I-"</p><p>"Don't mention it. It's fine." He found the courage to look at her face as he interrupted her. His eyes left hers just as quickly as he stumbled upon them, and he proceeded to walk off towards a different spot in the crowd.</p><p>Sweet Tooth looked down at the tabby that was staring at them back while it tossed its tail side to side in a steady motion. "I don't like the way that furry bastard is looking at me…"</p><p>"I agree," Dr. Wright concurred while straightening his suit. "Let's get a move on before we're treated to any more surprises."</p><p>They all silently agreed by making their way towards the bus, which was a sight for sore eyes. It had only been a few minutes, but it felt like they'd been separated from the automobile for hours. Kapp'n rushed up and tackled the front end of his bus in a hug. The poor old man couldn't wait to be reunited with his baby!</p><p>"Oh! Joanna! Me darlin'! Me precious!" He proceeded to shower the hood of the vehicle in his sloppy wet kisses, running his arms up and down the frame like a person making snow-angels.</p><p>Daxter visibly showed his disgust by making gag faces. "Hey, can we <em>please</em> keep this T-rated?"</p><p>Everyone climbed aboard, taking their seats and looking up ahead while Kapp'n turned the key in the ignition. *VROOM* "Would ye listen to that purr! Whoowee! I reckon me darlin's missed us just as much as we've missed her!"</p><p>Dr. Wright fiddled with the teleportation drive on the dash while Kapp'n revved the engine. "Blasted machine! It had better not malfunction again!" He twisted the dial to a certain set of coordinates, which he had memorized to be the location of Smashville. He then pressed the big red button on the dash to open the portal, one hundred percent confident that they should be in Smashville next time. However, after pressing the button, he was dumbfounded to find that the darn thing did absolutely nothing! "NO!"</p><p>"What now?!" Kapp'n shouted.</p><p>"I...err…eh-"</p><p>"Spit it out, lad! What be the matter?!"</p><p>"The damned button isn't working! Why is this happening to us?!"</p><p>Just then, an ear-piercing scratching could be heard, followed by the cat's meowing from down on the floor. Eyes darted back and forth, and sweat began dripping down foreheads. No one knew what the tabby was up to, but they also didn't want to stick around to find out.</p><p>"It's okay!" Daxter assured. "A cat can't eat a whole bus! ...can it?"</p><p>"It can if it's the size of a Snickers bar," Sweet Tooth argued. "Speaking of which…" he leaned over to the seat in front of him and questioned Link. "You wouldn't happen to have one on you, would you?"</p><p>In a panic, Dr. Wright did what everyone does when technology doesn't want to cooperate with a specific request… smash, smash, and smash some more! He took his fist and banged quickly and as hard as he could as a last ditch effort to get the teleportation drive going again.</p><p>"Please, Doctor," Clank spoke up. "Careless decisions will not help us reach our goal any faster."</p><p>Just as he spoke though, a portal on the far side of the counter opened up, catching everyone by surprise. "Wow, good goin', Doc!" Daxter, congratulated.</p><p>"A primitive way of a solving a problem, eh, but one that's known to work without a doubt!" Dr. Wright pushed up his sweaty glasses for the millionth time, and commanded Kapp'n to bolt. "On the pedal you old whiff!"</p><p>Kapp'n did as he was told and mashed his foot down on the throttle. From the sudden hit of torque, the bus ripped out a burnout that even Dominic Toretto would be proud of, and sped toward the other end of the counter for an escape. Though, everyone shouldn't have expected it to be too easy, because right when things were looking hopeful for the last time, the tabby jumped onto the linoleum topped counter right in front of the portal. Kapp'n skidded the bus to a stop as his breath caught in his throat. The cat opened her mouth to communicate with everyone by showing her teeth, and giving a menacing hiss. From inside the bus, the verbal warning sounded like a rumble of thunder, and everyone prepared for the worst.</p><p>"Shit," Dante breathed out as he perched his chin on his knuckles.</p><p>"What do we do?!" Kapp'n shrieked. "Ye can't just drive <em>through</em> a cat!"</p><p>"Then we must fight," boomed Zeus. "To arms everyone!"</p><p>The tabby taunted them by slowly inching closer, giving a brief hiss with each step she took. Just then, Kat panicked as Dusty suddenly leapt from her arms and through an open window.</p><p>"Whuh?! Dusty?!" Kat whipped her head out of the window and saw Dusty running toward the bigger cat!</p><p>"The hell is he doing?!" Jak shouted.</p><p>"I don't know! I don't know what's gotten into him!"</p><p>Everyone watched as Dusty's sprinting slowly transitioned into a walk, then eventually to a sitting position in front of the tabby.</p><p>"Dusty! Get back in the bus!" Kat begged.</p><p>"Pika!" Pikachu waved his arms out of the window, hoping that Dusty would think twice about what he was doing.</p><p>The animal hissed once again, but didn't seem to phase Dusty. Dusty then stood on all fours with his tail high, and gave a frightening hiss of his own. The tabby seemed somewhat surprised, even going as far as to stumble on its stance a little bit. It lowered its tail and began backing up. Dusty raised the back end of his body and hissed one last time, and that's what did the trick. The tabby scurried as fast as she could off the counter, leaving a quick opening for escape.</p><p>Dusty ran and re-materialized into Kat's lap, and she embraced her Guardian with a hug. Kapp'n didn't need to be shouted at by anybody to know that it was time to haul it. He mashed the pedal once again, and all the surroundings became a blur as the crew sped toward the portal with no signs of slowing down for <em>anything</em> this time.</p><hr/><p>*FLASH*</p><p>The tension was almost as thick as the air in the new location everyone found themselves in. Desperately hoping to be in the correct destination this time, they all opened their eyes one by one, only to be disappointed yet again. Everyone looked out into a vast, unforgiving, playground of ice that seemed to stretch on with painful repetition. To make matters worse, they found themselves missing from the bus <em>again</em>. If what their eyes were telling them was not enough, the brutal chill that slapped them in the face like a wet sock, really set it in for them. Whether they liked it or not, their current tourist stop was the Summit stage.</p><p>Sweet Tooth's knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists in rage. "This is starting to make me angry."</p><p>Dr. Wright fell to his knees and his breath came out as jagged as the edged mountains that surrounded them. "<em>What</em> have we done to deserve this?"</p><p>Kapp'n rushed over and grabbed the doctor by the collar of his blazer. "Are ye <em>SURE</em> that ye put in the right coordinates on me map?!"</p><p>"Why WOULDN'T I, you old coot?! What could I POSSIBLY gain by trapping all of us, INCLUDING <em>MYSELF, </em>at the Summit of all places?! Tell me! I would LOVE to know!"</p><p>"Insolent fools!" Zeus insulted. "As I predicted, you fail to calculate the weight of your sorcery! You fail to master your own <em>pitiful</em> contraption!"</p><p>"As long as trans-dimensional hiccups continue to occur, we may never reach our intended destination," Clank stated, starting to feel a little hopeless.</p><p>"Let's all remain calm," Zelda reassured. "The Summit is a relatively safe place. There are no battles going on, so we should be safe from any avalanches."</p><p>"AVALANCHES?!" Daxter shouted.</p><p>"Correct," Clank said while preparing himself to read off of his pamphlet again. He drug his metallic finger across the page as he translated the info that was provided from the brochure. "It appears that the active feature for this particular stage is that dynamic transformation will occur from frequent shockwaves as a byproduct of intense combat."</p><p>Drool seeped out of Daxter's mouth as he tried to comprehend Clank's nerd talk. "Uhh… Tin Can… WE SPEAK <em>ENGLISH</em>! Not dorkonomics!"</p><p>"He's saying that the harder you rumble, the more likely the stage will rumble too. Right?" Kat commented. "If we weren't trapped here, I bet this stage would be fantastic to battle on!"</p><p>"So it seems like our main danger here is the weather," Dante pointed out.</p><p>"Yeah, how cold is it?" Daxter asked. "Forty below 'freezing my ass off'?"</p><p>"Actually," Clank started, "the precise temperature is-"</p><p>"NO ONE <em>CARES</em>!" Daxter interrupted. "You don't have to give us a science lesson every time you point something out!"</p><p>Kapp'n clapped his hands together, signaling for everyone to turn their attention toward him. "I reckon ye all forgot about one wee little thing... THE BUS! We ain't droppin' anchor anywhere if we don't find her!"</p><p>"Are you even listening to yourself right now," questioned Dr. Wright. "Do you expect us to scour this entire landscape for that damn thing?! Furthermore, what's the point of using the bus when we might end up somewhere even worse than this or the stage we were at before?"</p><p>The sound of boots crunching in the snow distracted everybody from their freak outs. Everyone turned to see Link making his way from the group, swinging his arms in a circular motion as he trudged the land.</p><p>"I don't know," Jak answered. "But <em>anything</em> beats being stranded out in a place like this. I'm following <em>him</em>."</p><p>Dr. Wright pushed up his glasses and concurred. "Yes. Let's walk to keep our blood flowing."</p><p>Mentally, they all agreed that moving their bodies was the best thing they could do for each other right now.</p><p>Clank ran multiple scenarios in his mind to figure out what would be the best course of action for the group. Doubtful thoughts began seeping through their minds with every step they took on the crunchy snow. Some, like Link, refused to believe that they wouldn't get out of the crappy situation they found themselves in. For others, it was hard to stay hopeful, especially with the freezing temperature beating down on them. Nariko held her shoulders while she shivered in her traditional outfit, which covered little to nothing. Dante, who was walking behind her, noticed her discomfort and took off his coat. He held it out for her to take but she ignored him.</p><p>Dante huffed. "Look, you're freezing and an inch away from naked. You need it more than I do." He brought the clothing closer to her, pretty much shoving it against her body. Though she wouldn't admit it, the warmness from the article felt amazing. But Dante and Nariko never got along, even after years of knowing each other, and she sure wasn't in the mood to entertain who she found to be the most annoying person she ever met.</p><p>"Worry about yourself," her tone had a bite to it that drew the attention from everyone else.</p><p>Dante insisted. "Take the<em> fucking</em> jacket."</p><p>Up ahead, Zelda stopped in her tracks, signaling for everybody to pause and turn their attention toward her. She turned around to reveal a massive wave of frustration that took over her normally gentle composure.</p><p>"Enough! <em>ENOUGH</em>! I have HAD it with all of you not getting along!"</p><p>Dr. Wright immediately scampered over and knelt down by her side. "F-F-Forgive us, your Maj-"</p><p>"Oh, stop being such a suck-up," she spat out with a wave of her hand before he could even finish. "You all are quite possibly the most bitter band of warriors I have yet to meet! How shall you hope to achieve <em>anything</em> if you are constantly bickering with one another!?"</p><p>"Geez. Remind me not to piss <em>her</em> off," Daxter mumbled into Jak's ear.</p><p>It had been a long time since Link heard the Princess raise her tone to such extremes. It was evident from the cracks in her voice as she shouted, that she had not been used to yelling, and everyone felt remorse for the way things were being handled. Link walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that everything was okay. Looking into his soothing eyes, she began to calm herself. She took her hands and placed them on her chest and gave a long exhale.</p><p>"Forgive me. But we <em>must</em> have unity in these times. We cannot afford to be at each other's throats at a moment like this."</p><p>Behind her, a rumble could be heard from the top of a hill that wasn't too far in the distance. A cluster of ice and snow accompanied the rumble by falling down the slope, and revealing a familiar object that nearly blew everyone's minds. Peeking out from the top of the hill was the roof of the bus!</p><p>"Joanna!" Kapp'n cried in excitement.</p><p>Clank facepalmed, pondering the unlikely odds that they've been spoiled with. "At this point, it would appear that we are a part of some sort of twisted fantasy."</p><p>Kapp'n took off with Sweet Tooth right on his trails. The clown was desperate for relief from the cold weather like everyone else, especially since he didn't even have a shirt to cover his big hairy belly. Kapp'n and Sweet Tooth vigorously shoved snow off the bus to free it from its frozen prison that it had randomly been given. To speed things up, Sweet Tooth used his fire breath to melt the ice around the doors and engine bay. After a little while, Kapp'n was able to enter the cabin of the bus and turn it on so that the heater would be nice and toasty whenever everybody made it on board. One by one, everybody began traversing the steep slope so that they could get to the top as well. From the top, Kat sat perched on the roof of the bus, looking at the remainder of people that were making their way up the hill. With concern, she stared at Ash who was struggling to keep his footing.</p><p>"Oh, be careful, Ash!" However, just as the words left her mouth, Ash was almost to the top of the hill when he completely lost all traction from his shoes.</p><p>"WAUUGHHH!"</p><p>He found himself suspended in the air for a few seconds, until he came brutally crashing down on the hill, tumbling backwards down to the bottom. Pikachu ran right next to him as he continued rolling over. The impact from where he hit the ground caused a massive crack to form in between the distance from the bottom of the slope to the top where the bus was. *CRACK* *BOOM* Nariko stopped Ash's tumbling by letting him collide with the shin of her leg, and she sat him up and began dusting the snow off of him along with Pikachu's help. She paused what she was doing when she felt a shift in the ground, followed by another startling crack from the ice.</p><p>Kapp'n took notice of what was going on, and fully started the bus hoping to drive away before the mountain fully collapsed. But it was hopeless, because the second he put the gear in reverse, everyone inside was shunted to the right by a hunk of ice colliding with the bus. Kapp'n flew out of his seat, and everyone in the back struggled to get to their feet. Outside, the remainder of people were running as fast as they could to get up the slope before the mountain snapped in half. All together, Ash, Daxter, Nariko, Jak, and Dr. Wright made it just in time as the slope folded down at an obtuse angle.</p><p>"Can I say it?! Can I say it?!" Daxter pestered as he held onto Jak's shoulders.</p><p>"Go head, Dax!"</p><p>At the top of his lungs, Daxter turned his head to the sky and screamed, "'AVALAAAAAAAANCHE!"</p><p>From the top of the mountain, the bus and all its occupants were launched into the air by the sudden snap of ice as the mountain began to disintegrate. While in the air, Kapp'n shoved himself back into the driver seat, and prepared for when the bus would hit the ground again. With a bone-shattering thud, they landed back on four wheels, and Kapp'n kept accelerating, because right behind them, the remains of the mountain chased them down as one huge cluster of ice, snow, and death. Somewhere in the midst of that white cloud of chaos was the rest of the Smashers and All Stars, struggling not to get swallowed up by the avalanche.</p><p>Jak and Daxter found themselves making use of a chunk of ice that had a curious shape which resembled the Jet-Board. The two partners smiled and nodded at each other. Jak hopped onto the chunk of ice, and began making use of it by surfing his way through the blizzard. He noticed Dr. Wright hopping from boulder to boulder to keep from getting swallowed up by the storm.</p><p>"We're comin', Doc!" Jak hollered. He carved his way over to Dr. Wright, and once he was close enough, held out his hand. "Grab on!"</p><p>Dr. Wright was close to jumping until a huge ball of snow landed between the two men, showering them both in the substance. From the icy explosion, a flurry of snow flew into Jak's eyes and mouth, making him temporarily lose his focus. Jak violently coughed up the residue and worked as fast as he could to remove the snow from his eyes so that he could regain sight. Daxter tried helping by slapping his sideckick as hard as he could in the back.</p><p>*THWACK* "This if for all those times you walked in on me and Tess!" *THWAP* "No matter <em>what</em> you say, I <em>know</em> it was on purpose!"</p><p>Jak coughed up the rest of the snow in his throat, and Daxter steered them away from boulders that jutted out of the ground by grabbing onto Jak's hair and pulling the direction that was safe from danger. Dr. Wright gasped when he saw a rather tall and sharp boulder they was quickly approaching, and he wasn't sure if he would have time to dodge it. Jak finally was able to open his eyes again just in time to see the upcoming danger. Once again, he reached his arm out and urged for Dr. Wright to jump. He obeyed and launched himself over to the snow-surfing duo. Successfully, Jak caught Dr. Wright, and held him in a fireman's carry as he surfed away.</p><p>Nariko was the closest to being sucked into the cold abyss that tailed her. Behind her, the avalanche roared relentlessly in her ears like a pack of lions. She kept up her pace by using her swords to slash away at the large rocks and ice that got in her way, but even with the aid of her reckless determination, she was still barely making it. Out of nowhere, a large polar bear with sunglasses and pink shorts descended from the sky, and landed in her area. Sliding on his back like an upside-down penguin, he steered over to her side and patted his belly like a bass drum, urging for the woman to hop on. She consented, jumped, and grabbed on tight to the animal that might've just saved her life. Immediately, the bear accelerated and swerved over to Ash, who was balancing himself on top of a huge, rolling ball of snow like some sort of circus act.</p><p>"Piiiikaaa!" Pikachu called for help, since Ash couldn't afford to lose his concentration for even a second.</p><p>"Boy!" Nariko called. Ash managed to glance at them out of his peripheral vision. "Come before you perish!"</p><p>It took every brave bone in Ash's body to trust them, and leap over to the bear that was a miracle worker among a disaster. He landed behind Nariko, and held on tight to her waist as the polar bear now sped off toward the bus. Nariko looked to her left and noticed Jak, Dr. Wright, and Daxter swiftly dodging danger and catching up to Kapp'n's bus as well. She grinned, relieved to know that her companions were also doing okay. From the back window, Zelda watched as everyone outside struggled to catch up, while also struggling to stay alive. Inside the bus, everyone was violently thrown from one side to the other as Kapp'n swerved in and out of the way of incoming obstacles. Even though it was freezing, sweat began to drench Kapp'n's face as he fought to keep his passengers alive.</p><p>There was something about the stage that he wished he hadn't remembered, and he refused to remind anybody else in order to keep them as calm as possible. However, something snapped in Zelda's mind as she also remembered what Kapp'n refused to acknowledge. A vast ocean surrounds the end of Summit's mountain, and if they didn't figure out something fast, their intense struggle for survival would be all for nothing.</p><p>"Oh my! KAPP'N!" Her voice was shaking with fear. She struggled to reach the front of the bus to get the driver's attention, but was unable to do so as long as she kept being rocked back and forth by the rugged terrain. A flash of shock swept across Link's face as he also remembered what awaited them at the end of the mountain. He looked toward the front out the windshield, and saw the blanket of water that sat patiently waiting for them.</p><p>"KAPP'N!" Link shouted.</p><p>"I KNOW! I KNOW!" Kapp'n knew, but he didn't have a plan to figure out what to do.</p><p>"THE WARP GATE!" Link shouted once again, speaking more in this moment than he had in the past couple of days. Kapp'n nodded, forgetting that that was also an option. They could risk ending up somewhere bad again. But was anything worse than a salty grave at the bottom of the ocean? Kapp'n reached out to push the button, but the second he let go of the wheel, the bus collided with a huge patch of snow that sent the automobile careening onto its side. Everyone screamed as they were tossed like ragdolls to the side of the bus. The windows, which previously had showcased the beauty of the Northern Lights, were now masked by the unforgiving ground that the bus now slid on.</p><p>Jak and Nariko both looked from the back at the disaster, feeling helpless to the predicament. In just a few seconds, they would all be drowned unless something was done. He looked to his left and watched the polar bear grab his passengers and throw them onto the bus, where they landed on top of the windows that were pointing toward the sky. Nariko immediately pried open one of the windows to shout for somebody to push the button on the machine. The bus met another boulder that was sticking out of the ground, and the impact sent Link toppling toward the front, where his back crashed full speed into the dash.</p><p>Again, another miracle was provided somehow, and a warp gate materialized mere inches in front of the ocean that beckoned its prey. Everyone screamed one last time and shut their eyes as they believed they would meet their frozen fate in just seconds...</p><p>Everything became black. The screaming continued. It continued even longer until it gradually began fading away to silence when people began opening their eyes. Surrounding them, was a space filled with flashing lights of all sorts of colors. Kapp'n recognized it. It was what one would see as they traveled between worlds by use of the warp gate. With happiness and relief exploding in his soul, he opened his mouth to shout praises until another wave of light consumed them all.</p><hr/><p>*FLASH*</p><p>Everyone felt a solid thud that confirmed that the bus was now back on its four wheels. That was one plus. Commotion could be heard outside, meaning there was people around. Another plus. Listening closer, it sounded like a crowd, and high-pitched engines zoomed to and fro in the distance. Finally opening their eyes, everyone was not only relieved to FINALLY be together on the bus again, but was also glad to be in a world that had no danger. Looking around, they found themselves in the middle of a Mario Kart race on the Figure 8 Circuit.</p><p>The contestants, as well as the crowds, were shocked to find a random bus landing right in the midst of the action from seemingly nowhere; simply sitting idle on the road. Kapp'n turned toward the back of the bus and raised his fists in the air. He wasn't surprised to see everybody still recovering from the nightmare of the last location they were in. They were lucky to be alive. Everybody was still breathing hard and checking themselves for any severe injuries.</p><p>Even so, Kapp'n still smiled and murmured to himself, "...we did it… we made it, lads."</p><p>Everyone was contempt… except for one person.</p><p>Sweet Tooth stood up from the back and bellowed in rage. "THAT<em> DOES</em> IT! NOW, I'M <em>REALLY</em> ANGRY!" He stomped toward the front of the bus while everyone watched in shock at his sudden outburst.</p><p>"What the hell are you talking about," Dante asked as he wiped blood off the back of his head.</p><p>"We almost died HOW many times now?! And we're STILL not even where we're supposed to be! This Nintendo gig sucks! And I've got to blow off some steam before I slaughter every last one of you in here!" Kapp'n looked in fear as the clown approached him. "And what better way to blow off that steam, than a good ol' fashioned death race!? GIMME THE WHEEL!"</p><p>Sweet Tooth grabbed Kapp'n and threw him to the side. He plopped himself into the driver seat and turned the bus on, letting the engine awaken to life. Dante stood up, having enough of Sweet Tooth's temper tantrum. He was often the one to keep the murderous psycho under control, since no one else had the patience. Before he could make his way up to the front, Sweet Tooth stomped on the gas, sending Dante tumbling backwards and falling on his back. Unfortunately, that gash on the back of his head was probably even deeper now.</p><p>"Calm yourself, fool!" Nariko commanded.</p><p>"There is no need for this behavior!" Clank pleaded. "We are in a safe world again."</p><p>"NO ONE is safe until <em>I</em> say so!"</p><p>Once the clown snapped, there was no calming him down until he had his fill. Joining the race, Sweet Tooth approached a Shy Guy in his kart and rammed him off the road, sending the innocent contestant flying off in a cloud of smoke. He laughed maniacally, but he wasn't satisfied just yet. He took out his shotgun and stuck it out of the window. He sped up to the next unsuspecting car and blew the tires off the vehicle, sending it into a spasm of flips as it careened into the nearby guard rail.</p><p>"MUAHAHAHAH!"</p><p>From the bleachers, everyone looked in horror at that mysterious yellow bus that turned a family-friendly kart race into an unexpected fest of violence. Once authorities were aware of what was going on, they began escorting people out of the stadium; doing their best to keep the panic under control.</p><p>Daxter launched himself to the front and jumped onto Sweet Tooth's face, slapping him back and forth as he tried to bring what little sense the clown had back to life. "Snap outta it! This isn't one of ya stupid competitions!"</p><p>Sweet Tooth slammed his head onto the steering wheel, using Daxter's back as a cushion for the blow. He fell to the floor beside Sweet Tooth's boots, barely conscious from the brutal impact.</p><p>"Owwww…"</p><p>"It's <em>always</em> a competition! Now, it's time to TURN UP THE HEAT!"</p><p>Joanna ran harder than she ever had before, thanks to Sweet Tooth's leadfoot. The bus began approaching a cluster of contestants up ahead, and Sweet Tooth saw a golden opportunity for the use of ballistics. He reached out towards the dash, and began pushing all of the buttons, hoping for something violent to happen. Gatling guns, laser guns, battle axes… he didn't care <em>what</em> it was, as long as it caused pain. To his disappointment, nothing was working. Everything from the lights, to the windshield wipers turned on, but nothing exciting was piquing his interest. He took his focus off the road and noticed a big, shiny, red button on the dash that looked promising.</p><p>"What's <em>this</em> button do?! Missiles I hope!"</p><p>Kapp'n opened his eyes to see Sweet Tooth's finger hovering above the button to open the warp gate. His heart dropped.</p><p>"NO! DON'T PRESS THAT BUTTON!"</p><p>"Too late! MUHAHAHAHA!"</p><p>Sweet Tooth sent his hand crashing into that button, hoping for a flurry of explosions to obliterate his victims up ahead. But to his disappointment, a large warp gate appeared in front of them and his heart sunk as well, knowing that his rampage was quickly coming to a close. Everyone in the crowds, as well as the contestants recovering from their accidents, watched as the bus disappeared into a similar void that it came from not too long ago.</p><hr/><p>A Few Minutes Later at Master Hand's House</p><p>Luigi sprinted through the doors to Master Hand's private suite, and made a beeline down the grand hall. After him and his brother were informed about the incident at the Figure 8 Circuit, they knew that they had to be quick to respond so that citizens wouldn't freak out. While Luigi would inform the hand on the situation, Mario would tend to the frantic crowds at the circuit, who were shook from the unexpected surprise finale given by Sweet Tooth.</p><p>Master Hand was startled when he heard the door to his 'quiet room' fly open. He was in the middle of his private time where he would indulge in one of his favorite hobbies, which was the piano. Unfortunately for Luigi, he was in also in the process of playing his favorite piece. Clair de Lune, to be exact.</p><p>Master Hand shuffled away from his instrument, accidentally knocking it over as he tried to maintain his calm demeanor. "Luigi?! There better be a sound excuse for you barging in unannounced!"</p><p>"Eep! I'm so sorry, but I had to tell you as soon as I could!"</p><p>"Tell me what?! What is the matter?!"</p><hr/><p>Luigi told Master Hand everything. Apparently, a group of hikers climbing Icicle Mountain saw everything that happened at Summit. And then, there was the rampage at the Mario Kart race for the day. With the two reported incidents, the trip for the All Stars was swiftly transformed into a tour through hell. Master Hand and Luigi were now in the lab, where the former would monitor all types of things involved in the world of Nintendo, and specifically his Smash mansion. He took a look at the recorded warp gates that had been opened in the past five hours, and noticed some strange factors that raised his concern.</p><p>"Hmm, the issue would appear to be the dimensional tunnels that connect all our worlds to one another. For lack of a better phrase, it's 'all out of whack.' Whatever the anomaly is, it <em>also</em> makes that specific location immune to any safety precautions I have put forth for the sake of the Smash competition."</p><p>"Okay..." Luigi said while scratching the back of his head. "Can you tell where they are now?"</p><p>Master Hand hummed in confirmation. He pulled up a separate diagnostic, which provided him info on the last warp gate that occurred mere minutes ago. His concern shot through the roof when he read the name of where the Smashers and All Stars ended up. He turned to Luigi, and even though Master Hand didn't have a face, it was clear as day that panic had overridden him.</p><p>"Luigi... we <em>must</em> hurry."</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Somewhere Far Away</p><p>A man, vile and immoral as they came, tapped a finger on his chin while he pondered life and death. Sunk into his throne, he let the thunder from the storm outside massage his weary ears that were exhausted from the terrible cries of his victims. His complexion sported sharp edges, and his flowing hair acted like a endless fountain of silver. A flash of light dressed the outside of his home. Raising an eyebrow, he turned his head to the right and gazed out into the murky, empty landscape that hid behind the window. Whatever that flash was, it wasn't the lightning that infested the sky. It was something else.</p><p>It was visitors. <em>Unexpected</em> visitors.</p><p>He could smell them, as well as another presence that was usually absent when his abode was used as fighting grounds. It was fear. Chuckling lightly, he realized he had just been blessed with an opportunity that he could simply <em>not</em> afford to pass up.</p><p>Dracula smiled as he ran his cold hands against one another.</p><p>"Let us prepare for a feast."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Week 1: World Tour - Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ratchet clenched tighter to his blanket, hoping for an increase in warmth and comfort. Even though he was housed in a mansion and soaked into the softest bed he ever felt, a coldness never ceased to leave his body. Instinctively, he reached out to his side to wake his buddy up, but was distraught to find no trace of a sleeping robot.</p><p>"Pal?" He croaked out.</p><p>No answer.</p><p><em>"That's right. Smash Mansion. Guess I better get used to sleeping without him." </em>His first night in Smash Mansion wasn't so bad. As far as he knew, he had the room all to himself since his roommate never seemed to show up, whoever they were. Whenever Polygon Man left, all he could remember from that night was taking his clothes off, and descending into bliss, aided by the surprising comfort of his suite.</p><p>He turned to take a look at the clock that sat on the dresser. <em>"Hmm. Little after nine. Guess I'd better go see how good the breakfast is." </em>Before he removed himself from the cocoon he was in, he heard faint grunting coming from the other end of the studio. He whipped the blanket off his face and looked over to see a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog doing some stretching exercises.</p><p>"Sonic?! The heck are <em>you </em>doing here?"</p><p>Sonic stood up from his sit up, dusted his gloved hands off, and smirked. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead! Dude, you were out like a light."</p><p>Ratchet massaged his temples, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. What the heck was Sonic the Hedgehog doing here? As far as Ratchet knew, he was never really a huge icon for Nintendo. Then, it all clicked in his head when he thought back to when the Brawl season was announced back in the day. "Riiiight. I forgot they invited you a long time ago. Just seems so weird seeing you here. I remember you and Mario used to be hardcore rivals."</p><p>"Eh. Still kinda are in some ways. So you're Ratchet, huh?"</p><p>Ratchet yawned while he tightened his headbelt. "Yep, that's me. I don't think I saw you at the meet and greet."</p><p>"You didn't. Not my kinda thing, y'know?" Ratchet moved to get out of bed, but Sonic stopped him with a sudden wave of his hand. "Sorry, I gotta ask you real quick. Who is 'Talwyn', 'Qwark', and 'Clank'? You were pretty much shouting their names in your sleep…" Sonic paused, allowing himself to get a little more serious. "...you okay?"</p><p>Flustered, Ratchet closed his eyes and stared down at his feet. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't embarrassed to death right now. Was he really <em>that</em> lonely last night? Maybe he needed his family more than he thought.</p><p>"Erhm… I was?" He shook his head and stood up, preparing to put on his casual clothes. "Well, Talwyn's my girlfriend and Clank is my best friend. Qwark is... well… hard to explain. But I guess I'm just not used to being stuck in a house with nobody I know."</p><p>Sonic looked off to the side. His confusion was clearly plastered on his face. "Uh, whaddya mean? I mean, aren't your friends staying in the mansion too? Are y'all just not getting along?"</p><p>"Nope, it's not that. My <em>genius</em> leader thinks I'm the only one from my team that's a good enough image for PlayStation. I guess no one <em>else</em> fits the mold, so he wanted me here all by myself."</p><p>"To do <em>what</em> exactly?"</p><p>"That's the thing! I don't <em>know</em>! Maybe he wants me to go around preaching to everyone how great PlayStation is." Ratchet rested his head in his hands and sighed. "This blows."</p><p>Sonic tapped his foot at a steady pace while he looked down on the sombering Lombax before him. He hated seeing people down in the dumps. To him, moping around did absolutely nothing to fix an issue, and he would do what he could to make his peers also understand that. Today would be no different.</p><p>He snapped his fingers and began making his way to the door. "C'mon, Ratch. Wait, is it cool if I call you that?"</p><p>Ratchet picked up his head and shrugged. "Uhm, sure. It's cool."</p><p>"Cool. Let's go grab a bite. A nice stroll will totes clear your mind, and I'll get to show you around a bit while we're at it."</p><p>The two men left their rooms, and began walking down the hall.</p><p>"Not gonna lie, I wasn't too thrilled about having to bunk my room. But I figured, y'know, there's no point in getting worked up over it. I'm kinda glad I did. You seem like a chill dude."</p><p>Ratchet took a second to scratch his ear, a little taken aback to hear that a social butterfly like Sonic would prefer to keep to himself.</p><p>"Gee, thanks, but I'm surprised your room doesn't have a buncha people slamming your door down to hang out with you. Seemed to me like you were always the star of the show wherever you went."</p><p>Finding the irony humorous, Sonic crossed his arms behind his head and chuckled. "Eh, not so much. I'm a little more of a hermit around here. Not that I don't dig anyone, it's just that most of these guys are either waayy too obnoxious or too Plain Jane. And <em>then</em> there's the whole Sega thing..."</p><p>"Your parent? What about it?"</p><p>Sonic grew oddly quiet as he stared off ahead. While waiting for a response, it suddenly clicked in Ratchet's head, and he reminded himself about his previous comment on his rivalry with Mario.</p><p>Refusing to believe his theory, Ratchet voiced his concern. "Wait, are you serious? You've been here for <em>how</em> long, and you still get treated differently?! Sega hasn't even made a console in decades!"</p><p>Sonic shrugged and stuffed the topic under the rug. "Whatevs. It's all good, Ratch."</p><p>It still bothered Ratchet seeing Sonic's demeanor change so quickly. It was clear that it was something that he still struggles with regularly, and that part angered Ratchet. Was this whole Smash Mansion just a prestigious housing for uptight and pretentious jerks? Rounding the corner that led away from the suites, the two began making their descent into the lounge area of the mansion.</p><p>Ratchet's ears perked up when he began picking up on what sounded like muffled ruckus further down the building. He shrugged it off, figuring that it was only normal for reckless behavior to be present in a mansion that housed so many different personalities. Yet, his concerns were warranted after Sonic also made note of the disturbance.</p><p>"Hey, Ratch, you hear that," Sonic asked while tipping his head toward the direction of the mess hall, where the shouting was getting louder with each step they took.</p><p>"Yeah," Ratchet chuckled, making light of the situation. "Heh, sounds like <em>somebody</em> fell off the top bunk last night! Is it always <em>this</em> rowdy in the morning?"</p><p>Before Sonic could reply, Diddy and Roy blew past them, making haste for the same destination.</p><p>Roy whipped around and waved his hand, urging for them to hustle as well. "GUYS, HURRY!"</p><p>Sonic and Ratchet obeyed and rushed into the lounge, where they were met with a small crowd that had its attention focused on the TV mounted against the wall. Everything was in complete hysteria with everyone talking over each other and panicking. It was even scarier for the hedgehog and Lombax, since they had no clue what was even going on in the first place. However, they figured out right away who was the culprit for all the shouting when Dark Pit's frustrated roar ripped through the lounge.</p><p>"UGH! No one would listen to me! I <em>told</em> you something like this would happen, didn't I?!" He struck his fist against the wall and thought back to some of the therapy sessions he had been doing with Palutena and Pit. <em>"Control. Control. Control."</em> He counted to ten before he spoke again. "Master Hand oughta be ashamed."</p><p>Ratchet had a hunch that whatever was going on had something to do with his allies somehow. Feeling uneasy, he turned around to step out, but was caught off guard to see Samus in her Power Suit without her helmet, standing behind him with her arms crossed. Their gazes met, and Ratchet could only nervously smile and chuckle, while her face stayed stone cold. Her eyes bored into his own for a few more moments, studying them, then looked back up to address the crowd.</p><p>"What's the situation," Samus questioned. Her voice was firm and sharp, but still failed to overcome the crowds' panic.</p><p>"Quiet! <em>QUIET</em>! She's speaking again," shouted Lucario, pointing toward the TV. Immediately, the lounge hushed so that everyone could hear what the reporter had to say on the news broadcast. "<em>-confirmed that the participants will live, yet, we regret to inform that some racers have sustained severe injuries. No citizens have been harmed, thanks to Mario himself assisting in the evacuation."</em></p><p>"There's Mario! Is <em>he</em> okay, at least?"</p><p>"QUIET, I SAID!"</p><p>"<em>-also looks like the circuit has been damaged, particularly in turn 3 and-" </em>As the reporter gave insight to what happened, the broadcast switched to a recording showing Kapp'n's bus, Sweet Tooth in the driver seat, assaulting the racers on the circuit. Ratchet's heart dropped when he saw a Shy Guy take a load of lead from the gun protruding out the driver window. Ratchet could recognize that shotgun from anywhere. Right then and there, he knew what all of this meant for him and his allies, and started panicking to come up with some sort of idea to deflate the problem.</p><p>It didn't matter what it was, he just needed <em>something</em> to keep everyone from losing any further trust in the All Stars. No matter how bad it looked right now, he knew that there was a separate problem that the broadcast couldn't capture for some reason. No way Sweet Tooth would do something like that out of spite, even though he would <em>love</em> to run over as many people with a bus as possible.</p><p>"<em>We'll keep you updated. This is Channel Sixty-Four news, signing off." </em></p><p>The news report ended with a final showcase of the damage that was caused at the Mario Circuit. Food and drinks were carelessly tossed all over the bleachers, suggesting that the audience moved as quickly as possible from the initial shock. Then there was the sky. Grey and dreary thanks to the smoke coming from the many vehicles that were destroyed by Sweet Tooth's path of destruction. It was odd seeing such a stupidly carefree and cheerful place completely turned upside down.</p><p>Ike was the one to physically unleash his anger this time, voicing an explicative as he struck his sword into the floor.</p><p>"It was that crazy clown creep driving! Didn't you see?!" Roy shouted.</p><p>"How did he get access to Kapp'n's bus," Captain Falcon questioned.</p><p>"Oh no," Nana exclaimed. "I hope Mr. Kapp'n is okay! You don't think he got hurt, do you?"</p><p>As everyone began to freak out again, Dark Pit turned towards the elephant in the room and gritted his teeth. Despite his mental training, he let his anger take control.</p><p>He cracked.</p><p>The angel rushed across the room, lunging over tables and chairs, and finally tackled Ratchet onto the floor. He grabbed the Lombax by the shirt and pinned him against the wall.</p><p>"I <em>knew</em> it! I KNEW you jerks couldn't be trusted!"</p><p>Sonic rushed up between the two, shoving Dark Pit aside before a fight could break out. "Hey, BACK OFF, wimp wings! Figure you give Palutena enough trouble? Now you're out pickin' fights with folks you don't even know!?"</p><p>"Real funny, Sonic, but she's too busy getting ramen stains out of her dress, thanks to <em>his</em> people," Dark Pit countered. "They're ALL a buncha scumbags and what we just saw <em>proves</em> it!"</p><p>"Try taking something seriously for once in your life, Sonic," Captain Falcon started. "We're talking about a grand assault-"</p><p>"-Just put a sock in it, Cap! Ratchet was in <em>my</em> room the entire time! Way I see it, he had nothing to do with whatever happened out there!"</p><p>"Then does he care to give us a motive for why his friend did this," Captain Falcon crossed his arms and glared at Ratchet as he continued. "Because I'm going to be honest, it isn't looking good for you and your men right now."</p><p>Nana couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stomped over and defended Ratchet as well. "Y'all are nothin' but meanies! Just 'cause Ratchet is on the same team don't mean he was involved! Quit harassin' him, m'kay?!"</p><p>"No, that's what they <em>want</em> you to think! He's probably cooking up an idea to attack the Mansion next!"</p><p>Everyone heard a frustrated grunt from Lucario. Even a simple grunt signaled that Lucario had something important to say, and if they knew better, they'd better listen. "His aura is pure. He was not involved."</p><p>"Pfft, I don't buy it! They're our lifelong enemies, they WANT to hate us! Do I have to spell it out for you?!" Dark Pit was relentless, and the more he continued, the angrier Ratchet started getting of being accused.</p><p>"Look I <em>don't</em> know what's going on, but all I can say is that Sweet Tooth would never do anything like that unless something ticked him off big time!" Ratchet's eyes scanned the room. Most people didn't seem to be buying it. "Ugh! What I'm saying is that he wouldn't just crash an event like that just for the hell of it! Something really bad must be going on."</p><p>"Give him the benefit of the doubt," Samus' voice invaded the argument with authority. "We have limited information right now, and a thirty second broadcast isn't going to help us. Stop jumping to conclusions."</p><p>Dark Pit rolled his eyes, not phased by Samus' intimidating aura. He turned back to Ratchet. "You'd better be right. Or, I'll make you all wish you never came here."</p><p>Sonic sandwiched himself in between the two guys, as Dark Pit took ahold of Ratchet's shirt again.</p><p>"Look, I already told you to shove it once, and I'm not doing it again." Sonic had a little more edge to his tone that wasn't used often. He himself was now getting fed up with how quickly things were derailing. It took all the control Ratchet had to not punch Dark Pit right in the mouth, but the more the angel gripped tighter to Ratchet's shirt, the more Ratchet could mentally feel himself breaking down.</p><p>"Get. Off. Of. Me..."</p><p>Dark Pit's eyes sliced into Ratchet and hatred seethed through his teeth. "Or <em>what</em>? You think I'm sca-"</p><p>*BAM*</p><p>Before Dark Pit could even finish the sentence, he felt Ratchet's gloved fist collide right into his mouth. He stammered on his feet for a second, flustered from the impact and the sudden taste of blood pooling under his tongue.</p><p>Dark Pit quickly stanced himself and prepared to counter attack, and that's when Sonic got in between the two again. "Save it! You had it coming and you know it!"</p><p>In defense of Dark Pit, most of the other Smashers in the room readied their weapons to avenge their ally. Whether he was right or wrong, Dark Pit was still family. A brother. And there was no way they were letting Ratchet get away with drawing first blood.</p><p>That's when Sonic had enough.</p><p>He firmly placed himself in front of Ratchet and cracked his knuckles, ready to defend him. "So… this is how it's goin' down, huh guys?" There was a fierceness in Sonic's attitude that they rarely saw from him. Despite that, they continued to move forward to remove Ratchet from the room.</p><p>Samus, with Captain Falcon at her side, slowly approached Sonic and Ratchet with her arm cannon charging up. "We're not fighting, Sonic. We're just keeping this from getting any further out of control." She didn't have the heart to point her weapon at Sonic, but given the current situation, she was mentally preparing herself for anything.</p><p>"Sonic, stand down," Falcon sternly commanded.</p><p>Lucario walked up and stood by Sonic and Ratchet's side. Everyone could see him powering up.</p><p>"No. <em>You</em> stand down…" Lucario ordered. Encouraged by Lucario's support, Nana ran up and positioned herself on Ratchet's other side with her mallet in hand. Sonic looked backed and smirked, feeling upbeat once again for having more support for defending Ratchet.</p><p>Sonic gave a thumbs up at his newfound ally. "See, Ratch? You got nothin' to worry about. We've got your back."</p><p>With his anger slowly subsiding, Ratchet let himself relax for a second until he heard clinging coming from Dark Pit's blades. "You are <em>so</em> not getting away with that. And I'll pound <em>you all</em> too if you get in my way! NOW GET LOST!"</p><p>"ENOUGH!" Just seconds away from a brawl, Master Hands's thundering voice snapped everyone away from themselves as he and Luigi rushed into the room. "I WANT EVERYONE TO THE PORTAL ROOM <em>NOW</em>!"</p><p>"But, I-" Dark Pit started.</p><p>"Would you like to be dismissed from the tournament permanently?!"</p><p>He paused and tilted his head away in anger, unable to look back at his boss.</p><p>"No."</p><p>"THEN BE SILENT AND DO WHAT I HAVE TOLD YOU TO DO!"</p><hr/><p>Dracula's Castle (Dance Hall)</p><p>"Ugh… the hell are we?" Dante caressed the back of his head, slightly sitting up, and simultaneously trying to piece together what was going on. His healing factor patched him up for the most part, but it was just as painful not having a clue about what his circumstances were. All he could really tell was that everything was dark. Not very helpful. Barely visible light bloomed from candle stands hooked along the elevated wall that circled them.</p><p>There was just enough visibility for him to look over and notice that, just like him, everyone was lying sprawled out on the floor, completely exhausted by their 'trip', if they could even still call it that, that tossed them from one ruthless surprise to the next. At some point, this nightmare had to stop.</p><p>A thunder clap in the room startled him onto his feet and his hand onto Rebellion's hilt, ready for combat. From where the sound came, Zeus appeared, calmly walking toward the group that had just been awaken by his presence.</p><p>Dante relaxed, letting his hand fall to his side, as well as a breath from his mouth. "Lucky us. It's just you."</p><p>"Indeed. I have been analyzing our whereabouts. There is a great evil that dwells here. We would do well to find an escape as quickly as possible."</p><p>"Piiika! Pika, Piiiikaaa!" Pikachu cried, a great deal of sadness in his voice.</p><p>"What the hell is wrong with <em>him</em>? Is he hungry or something," Dante asked.</p><p>That's when it clicked. Where was Ash? That's probably why Pikachu sounded so disturbed. And Ash wasn't the only one missing. At the moment, Dante could see that their current group only had himself, Zeus, Sweet Tooth, Kapp'n, Nariko, Pikachu, and Kat with Dusty. Everyone else was nowhere to be found.</p><p>"Shhh, it's gonna be okay," Kat cooed as she picked Pikachu up, and cuddled him in her arms. "Hey, Ash? I think-," she paused and swung her head side to side, now also realizing for herself that the others were missing.</p><p>"Pi… Pika…" Pikachu drawled, sounding even more downcast than before.</p><p>Kat shook her head and carefully rocked him in her arms. "No no no! It's still okay. Ash and the others have to be around here somewhere! Right everyone?!"</p><p>But as soon as her own words of encouragement left her mouth, she found herself getting intimidated from the look of their surroundings. It was a ballroom. Eerily beautiful and absent of any loose footed partygoers. The only thing dancing was the flickering candle-lit flames that could be mistaken for eyes gazing down upon them.</p><p>Just like Zeus said, this was an atrocious place, and she could for sure feel the disgusting sin that made the air thick to where it was nearly suffocating them.</p><p>"J-Just where are we anyway guys," Kat couldn't help but ponder out loud.</p><p>As soon as Nariko recovered from the dizziness from the warp gate, she rose to her feet and let out a roar that ripped through the once mysteriously quiet air. All eyes turned toward her as she raged over to Sweet Tooth, who was still lying on his belly. She took her foot, kicked him over onto his back, and lifted his upper body up by grabbing him by the chin of his mask. With her free hand ready to strike him, she ferociously chastised him for his behavior.</p><p>"Has your resolve not strengthened an <em>inch</em> over our years together?! Look at what your actions have cost us, you <em>fool</em>!"</p><p>As an unexpected response, Sweet Tooth simply giggled at her, not bothering to atone for his actions. As far as he was concerned, his lust for violence was somewhat satisfied, and that's all that mattered to him.</p><p>Repulsed by his attitude, Nariko let go of him, letting his body slam back into the ground, where he continued to laugh out loud. She stared back at him as he drowned himself in his laughter. "I'd ought to cease your laughter once and for eternity."</p><p>Looking for answers, Dante trudged up to Kapp'n, who was unusually quiet. Kapp'n sat with his head perched on his hand, looking forward out into the darkness, not even bothering to turn his head toward the demon hunter standing next to him. "Hey… old man. We-"</p><p>"We're done for lad. This ol' ship's hangin' by a wee thread. Now, we've gone goofed off into the eye of the storm…"</p><p>"What the hell does any of that even mean?"</p><p>Kapp'n finally turned and looked Dante in the eye. "Do ye know where we've dropped anchor, lad?"</p><p>"No. That's why we asked <em>you</em>."</p><p>Kapp'n stood up and threw his hands in the air. "This be Dracula's bootie, mate! There be NO escape from here! 'Cause this place be runamuck with monsters! Goblins, o'many! Demons, o'plenty! They all work for that blood suckin' scoundrel! I hate to say it, lad. But I don't see us sailin' outta here in one piece. This castle be filled with traps, and if we run into Dracula… dear mercy… if we run into Dracula… I...I-"</p><p>Dante shushed Kapp'n's terror-filled rambling by shoving Rebellion's tip toward his face, granting Kapp'n an up close and personal portrait of the legendary sword.</p><p>"See this, old man? Call it your own insurance policy. Those demons you mentioned earlier? Let em' come. I've slayed one once or twice, so you're in good hands here."</p><p><strong>"'Let them come', you say?" </strong>A shadowy voice called out to them. <strong>"As you wish! Shall we put your arrogance to the test, hmm?" </strong></p><p>Before anyone could even guess where that voice came from or who it was, an explosion of red, followed by a crowd of ear-splitting squeals erupted in the room. One second the room was empty, and now, it was flooded with bats that swarmed the room in a pitch black blanket. In one sudden motion, the bats all sped at full speed toward the group that had been caught off guard by this unexpected dark presence.</p><p>As quickly as they could, everyone shielded their eyes and covered their hair as the bats squealed in their ears and nipped at them mercilessly. Zeus flew up into the middle of the room, and let his lightning explode from his body, showering the room in temporary light. In just a second, the bats evaporated back into the darkness they came from, leaving only a strange haze left in the vicinity.</p><p>"Such a feeble effort!" Zeus taunted. "I call out to you, o wicked one! You will need more than these miserable creatures to pose a threat to us!"</p><p>Dracula only quietly laughed at Zeus' statement, because as the smoke cleared, they all began to see that Dracula had much more to offer. Pairs of bone-chilling red eyes could be seen slicing a path through the smoke.</p><p>As every second passed by, a new pair of crimson drops could be seen followed by another pair, and another pair until the air cleared and they were welcomed by an army of Minotaurs. They were fearsome beasts, excessively muscular and clad in fur as black as the shadows of the castle. Dreadful monstrosities boasting giant axes in tow, ready to gorge their foes upon Dracula's order.</p><p>Kat shrieked when she felt something clasp her leg. Looking down, one of the demons crawling from up the ground took a hold of her ankle.</p><p>*BANG*</p><p>She closed her eyes for one second after hearing a gunshot, and when they opened, its head was gone and shattered to pieces. Only bone and cartilage lay next to the limp hand that once had a firm hold of her just a moment ago.</p><p>"Pay attention, Kat!" Dante demanded. A smoking Ivory was in his grip as he looked her up and down to make sure she was okay. "No one's dying on my watch, so <em>don't</em> be deadweight!"</p><p>From both sides of the ballroom, dozens of Minotaurs surrounded them, just <em>dying</em> to rip apart their flesh. All they needed was Dracula's word. Before he did so, he appeared in front of them in his human form, just a few feet from the group.</p><p>Opposed to the look of seriousness and fear on their faces, he simply smirked and snapped his fingers. Above them, Kapp'n's bus appeared in mid air, suspended by his power.</p><p>"JOANNA!" Kapp'n cried out.</p><p>Dracula's devilish smile grew even wider. With a final snap from his finger, the bus exploded in mid air, trashing the room in shrapnel and speckles of fire. Despite Kapp'n wishing to stay strong, he fought the tears struggling to escape his ducts while Joanna's ashes sprinkled against his face.</p><p>Dracula's terrifying voice snapped him out of his mournful trance, and sent a shiver down his body; his legs threatening to give up on him out of fear.</p><p>"Do you see now, my prey? Revel! Tonight, you will take eternal refuge in my abode! Rejoice! A never-ending slumber awaits for you! An imperishable reward for your sacrifice! <em>Here</em>, there is no escape! <em>Here</em>, you shall quench my thirst! <em>Here</em>, is where you will take your last stand!"</p><p>With steady movements, the Minotaurs closed in on their proposed supper from both sides. Huddled together in the middle of the dance hall, Nariko acted as the forerunner for one side of the group, while Dante spearheaded the other. He glanced down at his two trusty pistols and smirked, reminding himself to stay calm and collected. "<em>Ebony. Ivory. Time to put you girls to work." </em>He only wished he had a cigarette to top it off.</p><p>Menacing humms from the Minotaurs were suddenly drowned out by mechanical singing of Sweet Tooth's chainsaw. He deeply inhaled, getting a nice long dose of that noxious gasoline that just sent him over the edge every time. For Sweet Tooth, he couldn't be happier that his trusty killing machine had some more flesh to shred apart. Paired with his revving chainsaw and maniacal howling laughter, everything could be mistaken for a twisted horror movie.</p><p>Nevertheless, Dracula's smile never fell, staying patient and confident that a delicious supper awaited him and his servants. He finally gave his command to attack. His tongue slivered over his teeth before he meekly demanded, "Kill them."</p><p>Not a second was wasted afterwards. The floor felt taken over by a stampede from the hooves of the Minotaurs rushing in for the kill.</p><p>Dante dodged just in time to prevent getting hit with a Minotaur's axe. The beast kept up the pressure, swinging wildly until it hoped it would eventually make an impact with the demon hunter. But Dante was just too fast. He let the axe collide with the face of his sword, and pushed it away, temporarily throwing the Minotaur off its firm stance.</p><p>Deciding he'd had enough of the axe shenanigans, with one arc of his sword, he hacked the hand off the beast, and traveled up its arm with a series of more upward slashes on its limb, dicing it to pieces. He finished the show with a final, brutal swing to its head. It fell to the floor as a headless, mangled mess, courtesy of Rebellion.</p><p>On the other side of the room, one Minotaur was brave enough to try and jump to at least reach Zeus with the edge of its axe.</p><p>"You <em>dare</em>?!"</p><p>He grabbed it by its left horn in mid-air, and slammed it down on the ground face first, instantly disintegrating the demon and those nearby as an added bonus. Seeing Zeus on the ground, the Minotaurs took the opportunity to try rushing the deity. They threw themselves on top of him, hoping to phase him with sheer strength.</p><p>"TREMBLE BEFORE MY MIGHT!"</p><p>He doused them in lightning, turning them into nothing but ashes.</p><p>Over by the edges of the ballroom, Sweet Tooth threw heaps of Molotov cocktails at every Minotaur he saw, corrupting the room with explosions and even more chaos.</p><p>One Molotov was caught in the mouth of a brave Minotaur. It crunched down on the bottle and inhaled the flames, before sending it in a flaming spiral back at the clown.</p><p>"TWO CAN PLAY AT <em>THAT</em> GAME, BUDDY!"</p><p>He danced the flames off by spinning around to let the flames grace off his body. Closer and closer, Sweet Tooth got until he was in range with his chainsaw. Continuing the spin, he aimed the rickety chains at the Minotaurs feet and swept off both its lower legs in one swoop. The hopeless monster fell on its back, allowing Sweet Tooth to get on its chest and breathe out a tornado of flames right onto its face. The psychotic clown howled in delight as his opponents' features were licked away by the blistering heat from his flame breath.</p><p>Nariko's range with her sword was unparalleled, and the demons could only <em>hope</em> to get close to her before they would end sliced up like vegetables. She stepped back and felt something firm hit her back. She could see it was Dante in the corner of her eye. Back to back, they both looked over their shoulders at the same time, noticing each other fighting together as one. Looking forward quickly, however, a final bunch of Minotaur's were headed to them in a single line.</p><p>Dante cocked his head back and smirked at Nariko. "May I have this dance?"</p><p>A mere roll of her eyes was the only response she gave him, yet, he knew that she loved a battle just as much as he did. They combined their efforts, spun with each other, and launched themselves full speed at the demons. All of them were easily cut in half from their conjoined swords in one piercing move.</p><p>With everyone's combined power and effort, those Minotaurs began thinning out no problem.</p><p>What started out as a colossal crowd, the numbers quickly dwindled until Sweet Tooth put the finishing touches on the last one with his machete. He retrieved his jagged blade out of the head of the last Minotaur, and looked around for more. Scanning the area, Dracula was nowhere in sight, but that gut-wretching evil was still there.</p><p>"<em>Coward</em>!" Nariko bellowed. "COME FORTH AND BEHOLD YOUR DOOM!"</p><p>"Indeed! We shall slay you like your weak servants! Your defeat draws near, o wicked one!" Zeus professed in agreement.</p><p>After the last word left his lips, an ear-splitting thundercrack sounded off outside, and Dracula's voice rang through once again.</p><p>
  <strong>"Oh I must assure you… the horror has only just begun…" </strong>
</p><p>Hidden somewhere within the walls, Dracula's taunts beckoned them, just teasing them to open themselves up to more hazards.</p><p>But no way they were backing down now.</p><p>Together, the team of warriors ran as fast as they could, in hot pursuit of Dracula with only his echoing laughter as a guide.</p><hr/><p>Dracula's Castle (Royal Chapel)</p><p>Over in another part of Dracula's maze of a castle, Link's group found themselves lost as well. They ended up in a worship center that seemed to stretch on for miles. To their left, rows of pews and stained glass extended on and on to where it seemed to fade into a vortex, an optical illusion that would only get farther with each step they took.</p><p>Exhausted and drained of energy, they drug their feet along the carpet of the sanctuary, while struggling to keep faith that they will somehow rid themselves of this disaster. The group was made up of Link, Clank, Zelda, Dr. Wright, Daxter, Ash, and Jak. Unfortunately, nobody could really concentrate on their thoughts with Daxter reminding everyone how screwed they were through his angry monologue.</p><p>"...And don't even get me STARTED on the bus! Kapp'n needs to hop on those divorce papers 'cause as far as I know, Joanna is the biggest whore I've ever met! This is the <em>third</em> time we've warped somewhere with her nowhere in sight! Where's she <em>this</em> time? Gettin' knocked up by Lightning McQueen?! Talk about being faithful! <em>Now</em> you mean to tell me we're stuck in some sorta bootleg Halloween fun house?!"</p><p>Clank found himself rubbing his temples, even though he had no flesh and muscle that needed massaging. It was a habit that he must've picked up from Ratchet's irritableness from over the years.</p><p>"Daxter, please let me continue," Clank pleaded with his pamphlet turned over to the page describing their whereabouts. "It is important for everyone to know the details about this location. They are quite crucial to our survival."</p><p>"Don't even bother," Dr. Wright moped. "You wanna know about this place, do you? Well for starters, it's one of the most dangerous stages in Smash! We're doomed. Simple as that. That's <em>all</em> you need to know." Dr. Wright plopped himself down into one of the pews, and everyone did the same, taking even more time to dwell on their odds.</p><p>With the stress almost pushing him over the edge, Dr. Wright took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes that were weary from seeing places he had no intention of visiting. It didn't help that the only light in the Chapel came from the stained glass that would occasionally get illuminated from the lightning storm outside.</p><p>On another pew, Ash sat on his hands, staring down at his sneakers. His eyes were shielded away by the brim of his hat, yet they could still tell that he was filled with a longing for his partner.</p><p>"<em>Pikachu… be safe buddy." </em></p><p>Even Link decided to take a short rest. He went over to Zelda and sat next to her on the edge of the pew. Even though his body was relaxed, he was still high on guard, fully aware of the danger in the Castle. Through the corners of his eyes, he kept a close look on each end of the sanctuary. Only heavier darkness was perceivable on each side, but he still felt an uneasiness that something was watching them.</p><p>He swallowed hard and stared into Zelda's eyes. He could tell by the shape of her crystal orbs that she was struggling with pushing fear toward the back of her soul, and keeping hope at the forefront.</p><p>She nodded once their eyes met. "Surely, Master Hand is aware of our misfortune. I think it would be best if we stay put, until rescue. It's bound to come at any moment. Don't you agree?"</p><p>After asking, she noticed Link's eyes veer off to where Ash was sitting. Both of them had never seen him so downcast. Link looked back at her and swallowed another boulder in his throat.</p><p>"I know," Zelda murmured. She could tell that Link was worried about Pikachu and the others, wherever they were. "But if we decide to search for them, we may put ourselves <em>and</em> our friends in even more danger than if we are patient and wait for assistance."</p><p>"Hmph…" Link ran his fingers across each other, unable to sit still knowing that some seriously bad things could be happening to his acquaintances. Yet, he backed down from questioning Zelda's wisdom any longer. Disheartened, she fiddled with the gold bangles on her belt, wondering if what she considered was really the right way to be going about it all.</p><p>Perched on his usual spot on Jak's shoulder, Daxter crossed his arms and frowned at everyone's attitude.</p><p>"Geez, these guys wound up a real moodkill, eh, Jak?"</p><p>Jak shook his head and huffed, not fond of everyone slumping about either. "Look around, Dax. This place looks horrible. Still, I'm with you. No way we're just giving up."</p><p>The duo walked up to the princess and her knight.</p><p>"Now would be a good time for another pep talk," Jak suggested.</p><p>His comment was meant to loosen up that morbid chokehold everyone seemed to be put in, but Link reacted by simply looking past Jak, not a crack of a smile on his face.</p><p>Jak crossed his arms, looking back toward everyone and wondering if he and Daxter should start breakdancing like old times to encourage everyone.</p><p>Zelda's voice brought Jak's attention back onto her. "Forgive him. Link is silent, but means no disrespect, I do hope you understand."</p><p>"Wait, <em>he's</em> a mute too?!" Daxter shouted. "Damn! <em>Another</em> thing you two dweebs have in common! Our boy Jak here went a looooong time givin' people the silent treatment! Everyone thought he couldn't speak!"</p><p>Daxter hopped down and stood between Jak and Link, getting ready to further tease the two 'twins.' "What, lemme guess! Y'all wear the same brand of draws too?! I'd even bet you have the same skidmarks too! Here lemme see!" Daxter whipped around onto Link's lower back, getting ready to give him a wedgie.</p><p>"Urgh!" One glare from Link was enough to tell him that he should probably tone down the jokes. Zelda tried stifling her giggles, but it hadn't really worked out in her favor. Link blushed, feeling embarrassed at his own princess finding joy in his suffering.</p><p>Jak didn't know why, but it felt good to hear her laughing, and no longer in such a bad mood. His guard got knocked down even further when she turned and met his eyes again.</p><p>"So… what led you to find your voice? Link here isn't completely mute I should say, but he can go for quite some time without speaking to even me. You, on the other hand, Jak… I've heard you speak every now and then so far."</p><p>Jak looked down and furrowed his brows, thinking back to the first time he really began to talk. Back to the first time that even Daxter heard the first sentence from his best friend. Threatening to kill someone as his first words wasn't something he was proud of. Nothing but another bad reminder of the past that the duo would rather forget. Link looked up and noted Jak's change in demeanor.</p><p>"Uhh," Daxter started, trying to figure out the nicest way to tell a royal member to mind her own business.</p><p>Picking up on the cue before any words needed to be said, Zelda apologized. "Oh, forgive me if I'm overstepping my boundaries."</p><p>Through his peripheral, Jak could see that Zelda was still looking at him, so he dared to look her back in the eye. Almost in a non-verbal way to tell her that she wouldn't like what she would find out about him.</p><p>She refuted that by reassuring him. "Well… I just want you to be aware that you don't need to shy away from using your voice around us. We're your friends now."</p><p>Jak glanced over at Link, who let the faintest crack of a smile grow on his face. Whether it was forced or genuine, Jak couldn't tell, but he never cared for making friends in the first place.</p><p>Overhearing their conversation, Ash was struggling to keep himself under control. Clank noticed the boy and went over to check on him. He hopped on to the seat and reached his metallic hand out to Ash.</p><p>"Let us stay strong, Ash. I am positive that-"</p><p>Not meaning to be rude to Clank, but unable to control his emotions, Ash stood up and shouted at everyone.</p><p>"DON'T YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON?! WE SHOULD BE OUT LOOKING FOR PIKACHU AND EVERYBODY ELSE!"</p><p>
  <strong>"Oh, but I'm afraid it is too late for your friends…" </strong>
</p><p>After hearing that ghostly voice that couldn't seem to be traced to anywhere specific in the room, the stained glass windows shifted open and from them, came a flood of darkness in the form of bats. The animals amassed together in the center of the Chapel, and with a puff of smoke, Dracula emerged in his human form.</p><p>"Tch." Link grimaced and unsheathed his sword when he recognized who the man that stood before them was.</p><p>"Too late for them?!" Dr. Wright fearfully questioned, hoping that what he was thinking wasn't true. "What does that mean?!"</p><p>The vampire folded his hands behind his back and steadily approached the group. Dracula webbed his fingers together, then in a steady motion, expanded them apart, forming a murky image for them to gaze into between his two hands.</p><p>One by one… second by second, each of their souls were struck with horror at what they witnessed. From within the vision Dracula provided, they could see Dante and the others… or what remained of them. They were all lying in a sea of blood in the middle of the ballroom, with the Minotaurs standing victoriously with their drenched axes in hand.</p><p>Pikachu… dead.</p><p>Dante… lifeless.</p><p>Kat… no longer breathing to bless this world with her upbeat voice.</p><p>"You see, they did not listen and offer themselves as sacrifices. Thus... they perished."</p><p>In a fit of rage, Link sprung forward to rush Dracula. He sliced through Dracula's mirage, but failed to cut any further than that. In a cloud of smoke, the vampire disappeared, throwing Link out of his rhythm.</p><p>He appeared behind Link just as fast as he vanished, and dug a brutal heel into his spine, sending him flying and crashing into the pews in front of them.</p><p>"LINK," Zelda screamed.</p><p>Dracula reappeared in front of everyone else. "Do NOT put yourselves through like suffering! Do NOT tamper with Fate's patience! OBEY me… and <em>quench</em> my thirst…"</p><p>It was a surreal moment. Everything was happening so fast. Clank stood, almost as if a glitch corrupted his system. It was hard to process that everyone he'd come to know was… well... gone.</p><p>Ash fell to his knees, as his heart twisted upside down in his chest. Tears sliced away at his shut eyelids, begging to be set free and escape his head that had just been clouded with sudden grief like no other.</p><p>"Y-You, you <em>monster</em>!" Ash, in a foolish rush of emotion, just like Link, ran towards Dracula. The vampire calmly stood and smiled. He cocked back his arm, ready to dish a one-shot blow to the young trainer.</p><p>"NO! DON'T YOU <em>TOUCH</em> HIM!" Zelda's hands began glowing in a bright white in preparation to do whatever she could to save anyone else from perishing, but in just a second later, the vampire warped, and her jaw was met with the very same fist Dracula was saving for Ash.</p><p>From the sudden impact, she went soaring into the wall behind her, her head smashing and shattering the stained glass above her.</p><p>Daxter could feel the rage building up in Jak, and watching everyone suffer was speeding things up at a blistering speed.</p><p>"Dammit, it's gettin' bad, Jak! Bad real quick!"</p><p>Jak grunted and pulled out the trusty Morph Gun to pump Dracula with a good dosage of plasma.</p><p>"Don't be foolish!" Dracula chastised.</p><p>Teleporting and attempting to catch his opponent off guard again, he warped behind Jak, but Daxter already caught on to his antics. Before Dracula could attack, his porcelain face was met with Daxter's feet full force.</p><p>*THAWAP*</p><p>"HA! You just got struck by Orange Lightning, baby! ZAZAZING!"</p><p>Dracula teleported and recuperated himself in the middle of the action, massaging his bruised chin. He took a look around the room. Link was just now getting up and dusting himself off, and Zelda slowly opened her eyes, recovering from the blow to her head.</p><p>Then, there was Jak, anticipating the vampire's next move.</p><p>Dracula took a moment to straighten himself out, feeling himself being perhaps a little too impatient, and forgetting to toy with his prey before he devoured them.</p><p>"So be it..."</p><p>Levitating himself in the air, he reached his arms out and commanded his supernatural army to do his work for him. "Minions!" The floor of the chapel suddenly blossomed with fire, and in the midst of the flames, terrible beasts began forming out of the heat.</p><p>These beasts, Cerberus as they were known, were hellhounds with three fire breathing heads attached to each mane. Their howling and hungry cries replaced the eerie silence that once plagued the chapel.</p><p>"Eat! Eat and fill yourselves with their corpses!" Dracula commanded.</p><p>On command, they bolted into a sprint at breakneck speed in pursuit of blood and glory, shaking the room like an earthquake. Jak shifted the Morph Gun into shotgun mode, and began blasting away at the demons trying to maul him. The close range and strong blowback of Scatter mode proved really effective, and the more heads he blew off these hellhounds, the more confident he grew that someway… somehow, they would all make it out of this alive.</p><p>Link hadn't exactly found himself in such a favorable position. He and Zelda were backed up against the wall that she had collided with earlier, and was still not fully recovered from hitting her head so hard. So Link put all his heart into every movement of his blade, mercilessly cutting up any Cerberus that got too close to his duty.</p><p>Realizing they couldn't stay in such a compromised placement, he let loose a bomb that simultaneously did a ton of damage to the beasts in the area, and provided them with a cloak of smoke that they could use to reposition themselves unnoticed. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along to anywhere but against the wall.</p><p>Jumping out of the window wasn't an option, because when he had a chance, he got a glimpse of what surrounded the outside of the castlegrounds. The problem was, there was no ground to begin with. Only black clouds that seemingly kept the castle afloat, suggesting they were in some sort of twisted dimension instead of an actual plane.</p><p>Dr. Wright shook his head and began running away from the action as fast as he could. He was overcome with fear and disbelief of all that unfolded in front of him. But he stopped in his tracks when he saw that another blanket of fire rolled out on the carpet just ahead of him, and sure enough, more Cerberus sprung out from the flames.</p><p>"Dammit! We're surrounded!" He looked back and forth only to find an ocean of fire and no hope. He collapsed on the floor, his sweat and tears drenching the carpet. "F-Fine! I surrender! Just get this nightmare over with!"</p><p>Ash ran up behind Dr. Wright tackled him onto the side, and away from center attention. The two men rolled behind a pew in a vain effort to hide away from the beasts.</p><p>Clank looked over and saw the two hiding away. He only wished he had access to his Ultramech form so he could let loose a barrage of missiles that would wipe the demons away no sweat. Or even some of his spy weapons from his days in the Agency would've been more than useful.</p><p>Despite his physical handicap, he did what he could, and analyzed the best way to provide assistance. One Cerberus leapt right at him, and he took the opportunity to dodge past it, grabbing hold of a tuft of fur, and slingshotting himself onto the back of the beast. He took ahold of the chain around its neck and yanked back and forward, somewhat taming it and submitting it to his will.</p><p>For a brief second, Clank actually managed to somewhat get the beast under his submission, despite its constant thrashing back and forth. Clank looked forward just in time to see a pack of hellhounds running toward the pew Dr. Wright and Ash were hiding behind.</p><p>"Oh, I do not think so! Yip!"</p><p>Clank tugged forward on the beasts neck and let it careen forward at high speed right into the hellhounds that were just feet away from the two men. Hopping off just in time, Clank fell onto the floor and watched his pet slam right into the other dogs, sending them tumbling into a group against the wall that became only rubble and dust afterwards. He didn't have time to celebrate. He looked at Dr. Wright and Ash urged them along.</p><p>"We must keep moving!"</p><p>*SHINK*</p><p>Further ahead in the sanctuary, Link successfully landed another shot from his bow. The claws and fangs of the demons were no match for Link's marksmanship. He was doing a remarkable job of keeping them at bay by aiming the arrows perfectly into the eyes of the hellhounds.</p><p>Link's arrows proved even more effective by being enchanted by Zelda's casting techniques. Whenever the points made contact with the beasts, they would slump down as a paralyzed lump on the ground, all kudos to her magic.</p><p>Dead demons were beginning to fill the sanctuary, but even more replaced them by the second since those burning portals on the carpet never ceased to close, remaining open by Dracula's willpower, who seemed to have vanished somewhere in the room.</p><p>*CHINK CHINK*</p><p>Jak's eyes shot open when he heard a metal chirp come from his gun, notifying him that he had run out of red ammo. Before he could switch to a different mod, he punched away one Cerberus that had almost succeeded in taking a chunk out of him.</p><p>Being thrown off his pace, he switched to Vulcan Fury as fast as he could to keep the demons from getting any closer to him. Being a minigun, it was slow to wind up for a few seconds, but when it got going, there was no stopping its destruction. Bullets sprayed at an inconceivable speed from its barrel, and Jak even let a grin creep onto his face while he mowed down the monstrosities with his rapid fire punishment.</p><p>Recoil vibrated throughout his body like a jackhammer while he slowly began backing up, noticing the fiery portal on the ground getting bigger, which meant more Cerberus were spawning in at an increased rate, even faster than what he could keep up with.</p><p>Daxter could feel Jak tensing up from the slow panic he was settling into, so he did whatever he could to help by throwing empty ammo clips at the demons as hordes of them rushed into their space. Of course they did nothing, but Jak appreciated any support he got from his best friend.</p><p>Link and Zelda noticed how dangerous it had gotten for Jak up ahead and he got ready to rush over there and help. He yanked his sword out of the cavity of his latest victim and kicked its body out of the way with his boot.</p><p>"Hyrahh!"</p><p>With a war cry, a quick sword blast knocked his path to Jak temporarily clear, and Zelda was right on his tail to also lend a hand. It was only a matter of seconds before the demons boxed Jak and Daxter in to where they couldn't handle the pressure anymore.</p><p>"DAMN!" Jak hollered with a noticeable crack in his voice from fear of losing the battle.</p><p>He spun himself in place and Daxter instinctively stretched his legs out to help with their classic spin kick move, but to his surprise, Jak let go of him. It wasn't meant to be an attack, rather, it was an unexpected maneuver to save his best friend from getting killed. Daxter landed in between Link and Zelda's feet, and he immediately got back up.</p><p>"JAK!" Daxter shouted. "YOU-"</p><p>"GET OUT OF HE-MRMPH!" Before Jak could finish his plea, a claw covering his mouth silenced him. The nearest Cerberus took a hold of his head and slammed him down to the flame coated ground beneath him.</p><p>"JAK! <em>NO</em>!" Zelda screamed at the top of her lungs.</p><p>Daxter tried to lunge back to where his best friend was, but Link stopped him. Midway through the jump, Link grabbed Daxter by his tail and slung him back to the safety of his arms, sparing him from mutilation of those beasts. Link and Daxter could only gaze, eyes wide open in agony of what they were seeing.</p><p>It seemed like hundreds of those damned beasts launched themselves into the spot where Jak lay somewhere on the ground, being torn away by the claws of Dracula's servants.</p><p>Link grabbed Zelda and turned her head away, letting it rest into the nook of his shoulder as her tears soaked his tunic, the heartbreaking image still fresh in her mind. She lost her footing as her strength left her legs. His palm clutched tight to the back of her head and they collapsed against the wall behind them.</p><p>Link looked up in blind anger at the demons that had slowed to a steady crouched crawl, realizing that they had no reason to rush the death of their enemies since no one else could help them at this point.</p><p>It was in those final seconds that they saw it…</p><p>A flash of purple that swept through the radius of the chapel.</p><p>They could also <em>feel</em> it…</p><p>A dark presence that was powerful and heavy on the spirit, yet with a different energy than what Dracula or his demons gave off. Everyone, even the hellhounds shifted toward the spot where Jak had gotten mauled.</p><p>From within, a shining bright energy shot forth in streaks of purple that struck out like lightning bolts. Coupled with a fearsome warcry, every Cerberus was launched away by a staggering eruption of pure, raw, overbearing energy in the spot where they last saw Jak before he was taken under to the flames. When everything cleared up, they feasted their eyes on a creature that threatened the ferociousness of even the hellhounds themselves.</p><p>It was Jak.</p><p>Not dead. And not normal either.</p><p>He was in his Dark form.</p><p>And he was <em>pissed</em>.</p><p>His eyes were as pitch black as their morbid surroundings. Purple energy fluctuations danced on his enlarged biceps, down to his boots. And the claws on his hands were razor sharp to the touch, even deadlier than the teeth from those devil dogs.</p><p>Link, Zelda, and the others could do nothing but gaze in shock, yet Daxter had a cheeky smile from one ear to the other. Happy to see his buddy still alive and kicking, he knew that everyone was in for a treat.</p><p>Dark Jak gave out a final roar before he went completely ballistic. Nothing could prepare the hellhounds for the absolute thrashing Dark Jak gave them as he powered through them like delicate bowling pins, knocking them down by simply swinging his arms. All they could see before their death was a flash of purple before he sliced through their bones as easy as butter.</p><p>Flaming portals on the floor continued branching out even farther, and sooner or later, it seemed like the whole room would eventually catch fire with gates from the underworld. Link, Zelda, and everyone else stood glued to the floor, appalled at the one-man-army and his five-star show of brutality.</p><p>So many Cerebus spawned into the sanctuary, they began piling up on top of themselves, clumsily trying to maul Dark Jak.</p><p>That's when he reached his limit.</p><p>Despite the overwhelming amount of demons gouging into his legs, arms, and upper body, Dark Jak propelled himself in the air high enough to reach the ceiling, concentrating his energy into his right fist. He let his knuckles lead the way as he quickly descended back toward the ground...</p><p>And when he made impact, time seemed to shift into slow motion.</p><p>Everyone watched as they were thrown into a trance from the overwhelming power surge. An explosion of Dark energy, even greater than before, pulsed through the chapel in a massive wave from his fist.</p><p>Dark Bomb.</p><p>A collision so powerful, it shook the very foundations of the castle. Upon impact, every last window in the room crumbled to pieces. The pews simply disintegrated, chandeliers dove onto the floor, and cracks burst forth from in the ground, climbing up the wall like spider webs, suggesting that Dark Jak almost destroyed the very sanctuary they were doing battle in.</p><p>Link held Zelda even closer against his chest, shielding her away from the force of the impact but even then, they were still knocked back by the gushing wind that flung them like ragdolls along the floor. Dr. Wright and Ash held tight together in a huddle with a numbing, ringing sensation assaulting their ears. Even Clank had to recalibrate his optics once the energy faded away.</p><p>Not one Cerberus was in sight after reality somewhat returned to normal.</p><p>Nor any signs of portals from the underworld were present.</p><p>All that remained was limbs, bones and smoke swaying in a gentle breeze from the broken window panes.</p><p>Normally after a Dark Bomb, Jak would revert back to his normal form, since his Dark Eco supply would be used up in that one move. Yet, he stood there, his back facing everyone, and with the Dark power still surging through him. He slowly shifted around, to where Daxter could see a glimpse of a smirk on his pale face.</p><p>The boys were back.</p><p>However, before they could celebrate, an annoyingly familiar shriek rang in throughout the chapel. Whipping their heads to the right, they could hear flapping wings coming from a multitude of bats.</p><p>Dracula wasn't finished.</p><p>The bats rushed into their faces, scratching up their skin with their talons.</p><p>"Ergh! Foul things! Away from me!" Dr. Wright pleaded.</p><p>The bats looped into a circle formation in the air, then back into a straight line where they sped toward Dark Jak at an incredible pace. Using the momentum as he shifted into human form, Dracula buried a vicious uppercut into Dark Jak's chin. He went tumbling back just a bit, stumbling over the debris that littered the floor.</p><p>Dracula kept on the rampage, dishing out a series of punch and kick combos that collided with his opponent at a ridiculous tempo. Dark Jak tried swiping back, but Dracula dodged easily almost with no effort.</p><p>Even though he still had some energy left, Dark Jak was noticeably slowing down. He concentrated his energy into his hands, going for a charged blast attack since he couldn't keep up hand-to-hand.</p><p>The vampire ran his tongue over his teeth, anticipating a counter.</p><p>The very second Dark Jak let the blast escape from his hands, Dracula warped just above his head. He webbed his two hands together, and brought them down on top of his opponent's head like a sledgehammer.</p><p>"HYRRR<em>YUMPH</em>!"</p><p>*WHAAAM*</p><p>Dark Jak slammed into the ground and ceased moving that instant. Slowly, the dark energy seeped out of his body, and he transformed back into his normal self, only face down in a pile of rubble with not an inch of movement.</p><p>"JAK! <em>JAK</em>!" Daxter pulled himself out of Link's protective hold and scurried over to his best friend.</p><p>He still wasn't moving…</p><p>Dracula gently placed his feet down onto the ground in the middle of the room. He cleared his throat and tightened the knot on his bowtie.</p><p>"I welcome you all into my home, and <em>this </em>is how gratitude is shown? Look at this mess you have made!"</p><p>He glanced over at Jak, lying lifelessly on the ground, then back over to the others, suggesting through his sharp eyes that he would do the same to them.</p><p>"I will <em>punish</em> you all."</p><p>Dracula paused, feeling a steady vibration coming from the floor.</p><p>Almost like footsteps…</p><p>As the vibration grew stronger and a rumbling accompanying it grew louder, his eyes widened in panic.</p><p>*KABLAM*</p><p>Over to Dracula's left, the wall collapsed from a sudden impact.</p><p>"Forward everyone! The coward stands just ahead!"</p><p>Everyone recognized that heavy accented voice, but thinking it too good to be true, they stood up and confirmed their hope by getting a good look at their friends that ran through the destroyed wall. Sure enough, it was Nariko, with Pikachu running right behind her, as well as all the others!</p><p>"YOUR TIME HAS COME!" Nariko continued her profession of Dracula's defeat as they charged into the battlezone.</p><p>Dante ran as fast as he could and angel dashed to at least grab Dracula's coat tails. Unsuccessful, he fell to the ground, rolled over, and got back on his feet to see his battle mates attempt their own capture.</p><p>That pesky vampire was like a cockroach, phasing in and out as everyone tried grasping him. He shot up in the air where he thought it was safe, but he failed to notice the gravity queen and Dusty right behind him.</p><p>"DO IT, KAT!" Dante called out, but Kat didn't need a command to know that this devil deserved no mercy.</p><p>She pulled him into a gravity sphere, holding him in place so that he couldn't move. For further security, Nariko took her chained sword and flung it straight at his back.</p><p>*SHNIKT*</p><p>"GYUUURKK!"</p><p>He felt an excruciating pain in his abdomen and looked to see her sword securely impaling him all the way through.</p><p>"FALL ON YOUR KNEES!" She yanked him down with her sword still embedded within his cold, heartless core.</p><p>He collided on the ground, also still imprisoned by Kat's gravitational pull. Zeus started charging up his lightning and he looked over to see Pikachu doing the same.</p><p>"Together, little one!" He suggested.</p><p>"Pika, Pika, Pika, Pika, Pika…"</p><p>In sync, Zeus and Pikachu flew straight at Dracula.</p><p>"...CHU, PI!"</p><p>"HYARGHH!"</p><p>*KATHOOW*</p><p>Dracula's face was met with the devastating combination of a lightning charged haymaker from Zeus and Pikachu's Volt Tackle.</p><p>All was silent after that, except for heavy breathing from everyone. Even the thunderstorm outside seemed to have hushed itself to listen to the chaos. So much had happened in the last half hour, it was unbelievable. They were beaten, hungry, and in desperate need for a bed topped off by warm blankets.</p><p>Dante broke the brief silence with his boots crunching over the heaps and mounds of debris that littered the floor as he scanned the area for any further threat.</p><p>"JAK" Zelda screamed, worry oozing in her tone. She and Link ran over next to Daxter, who was hunched over his best friend.</p><p>"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO JAK?!" Dante shouted, looking over and noticing his fellow All Star immobile.</p><p>The only sign of even a <em>trace</em> of fear he showed was evident in his tone. Assuming the leadership role among his fellow All Stars, Dante felt responsible if something happened to one of them.</p><p>"Somebody get Jak while I waste this bastard!" Dante ran up to Dracula with his sword in hand.</p><p>He stood over the downed vampire, and let Rebellion's tip rest on Dracula's neck.</p><p>"Time to die, punk."</p><p>He swung the blade over his back to get momentum for the execution, but before he could bring it back down…</p><p>*BANG*</p><p>*FLASH*</p><p>A streak of light sliced through the darkness of the Chapel and expanded from one side to the other in just a few seconds. Everybody let out a huge breath when they realized it was a warp gate and through it came a majestic gloved hand along with Ratchet, Sonic, and some of the Smashers: Falcon, Ike, Samus, and many others that were nearby to help.</p><p>Master Hand and everyone scanned the area, looking at the extensive damage done to the building, as well as to everyone themselves.</p><p>Link was bloodied, Kat was bruised. For others, the damage done was more mental instead of physical. Ash carried Pikachu in his arms with tears in his eyes, and Dr. Wright buried his head in his arms, still able to hear the howling from the packs of Cerberus echo in his head.</p><p>Some of the more analytical Smashers like Captain Falcon, noted the fact that things were gladly not as bad as they suspected, especially with Dante standing victoriously over the main concern.</p><p>Dracula managed to croak out a chuckle, despite Rebellion's sharp length piercing against the veins of his neck. "Ironic, wouldn't you agree, Hand?"</p><p>"I beg your pardon?" The anger rang through his voice.</p><p>"You've come to save <em>me</em>… when I so desperately attempted to fell these warriors of yours. I must admit... I underestimated their power."</p><p>Dante lowered his eyes at Dracula and shook his head. "Uh uh. No one's saving you." He tightened his grip on the hilt.</p><p>Master Hand stood firm. "The violence <em>will</em> end here. Let go of your blade..."</p><p>Dante chuckled, glancing over at Master Hand. "So I'm supposed to kiss <em>your</em> ass now too?" He gave the boss of Smash a piercing glare. "<em>You</em> don't give <em>me</em> orders." He shook his head and returned to Dracula. "Nah. You almost killed my friends. I'll be <em>damned</em> before I let you walk out of here with your fuckin' head still on your shoulders."</p><p>That didn't sit well with the Smashers. Dante's disrespectful tone wouldn't normally give him consequences to worry about, but as Samus and some of the others readied their weapons, it was clear that he needed to watch his mouth. It wasn't often that they heard somebody clap back to Master Hand.</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye, Ratchet could see people itching to attack. "For crying out loud, Dante, just drop it! Don't make things worse for us than what they already are!"</p><p>Dante heard the plea in Ratchet's voice and forced himself to take a second thought. No doubt they might suffer persecution for the way things turned out today, even more if he were to slay Dracula against Master Hand's command.</p><p>He shut his eyes and let loose a breath, taking his boot off of Dracula's head.</p><p>Dracula looked back up at him and laughed in his face.</p><p>Dante never let anyone make an ass of him, especially not in front of his peers. In retaliation, he hacked up his saliva, and spit on Dracula's face. "Consider that a parting gift."</p><p>Ratchet facepalmed and sighed with content, knowing that that was the best that Dante could do. Master Hand watched Dracula closely as the Smashers and All Stars walked over to his side in the safety of the Cavalry. Ratchet ran and met Clank halfway, engulfing him in his arms.</p><p>Dr. Wright met with Kapp'n and Link. "We… we thought you all died! What happened?!"</p><p>Dracula chuckled as he got on his knees, overhearing his question.</p><p>"Mortals… they are so easily fooled. So helplessly bound by emotion…"</p><p>Laughter flowed freely from his core as he thought back to the twisted illusion he gave them earlier. He hoped that by fooling them into believing their friends were dead, they would simply give up and let themselves be drained. But Link and his group were tougher cookies than that.</p><p>"Tch." Link growled, not finding joking around about his friend's livelihood funny.</p><p>Master Hand turned back toward everyone behind him and dismissed them. Hesitating at first, Link complied. After being literally put through hell, he was more on Dante's side of wanting Dracula to atone for his actions.</p><p>Master Hand shouldn't mind if Link took a limb or two, right? Not after laying a hand on the Princess of Hyrule. Maybe three for Ash's suffering. No kid should have to go through the thought of losing their beloved Pokemon.</p><p>In a steady fashion, everyone complied and disappeared into the warp gate behind them. Once Master Hand was alone, he turned back toward Dracula, his fingers twitching in anger. Dracula wised up and straightened up his act in front of the deity.</p><p>"Mercy, Hand!" He pleaded in a rushed, desperate manner. "How could one such as I control himself among such a blessed opportunity?! I was so parched, and I could <em>taste</em> those folk afar! Their rich, benevolent treasure flowing through their chambers! <em>Mmph!</em> I could just FEEL it rolling over the tongue, down the throat like a warm, welcome massage! The <em>sweetness</em>, Hand! The SWEETNESS of the treat! MMPH! So <em>enticing</em>! So <em>tantalizing</em>! Calling out to me… BEGGING me to-"</p><p>"ENOUGH!" Master Hand slowly floated forward. "It is clear how my students are viewed by you. It doesn't matter to me now if you starve forever! Because from this moment on, I will make sure that none of them set foot in this place ever again!"</p><p>Master Hand took a moment to breathe, and turned around to return through the portal, leaving Dracula to contemplate in his castle.</p><hr/><p>Back at the Portal Room</p><p>"And you'd better watch the way you speak to Master Hand! Last time I checked, you're here because of <em>his</em> generosity, so you'd better work on showing some respect, goddammit!"</p><p>Dante leaned up against the wall, a cigarette in his mouth and a middle finger to Captain Falcon's lecture.</p><p>"What the heck were you thinking! Did you <em>really</em> think THAT was a good way to let loose your anger, Sweet Tooth?! Now we're hosed for <em>sure</em>!" Ratchet hollered.</p><p>Sweet Tooth stood in a corner, shoulders hopping up and down while he tried holding away his laughter.</p><p>"You could've been killed, Ash! Don't be so hasty to rush toward an opponent next time, boy! Walk before you run!" Dr. Wright chastised Ash.</p><p>It would've been horrible if they lost Pikachu, but absolutely devastating if Ash passed away.</p><p>At the moment, everyone seemed to be arguing about something in the portal room, but all fell quiet after Master Hand flowed through the warp gate. Everyone stood still and silent for a few seconds, awaiting their leader to speak.</p><p>He straightened out his fingers and began. "No more Dracula's Castle. The stage is now forbidden."</p><p>No one argued with that.</p><p>After a brief second of silence, signaling that everyone understood, he continued. "How is Jak?"</p><p>Out of everyone in battle, Jak was by far banged up the worst. As soon as they all made it through the portal, Zelda saw to it that he got treated right away.</p><p>"Roy and Nana took him to the medical wing. He's breathing. He'll be fine." Samus stated.</p><p>Master Hand shifted to the Smashers from the trip. "My students? How do you fair?"</p><p>"The tour was a disaster," Dr. Wright started. "But we made it out alive. Thank you."</p><p>Master Hand turned to the All Stars. "And <em>you</em> all?"</p><p>"Peachy," Dante dryly replied with a puff of tobacco smoke clouding his lips.</p><p>"Words cannot express how… <em>disappointed</em> I am to have had you experience what you went through. Somewhere, somehow, my system failed you. I hope you can forgive me."</p><p>"All water under the bridge, sir." Clank replied. "Thank <em>you</em> for rescuing us."</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>"It won't happen again." Ratchet randomly blurted out, taking everyone off guard. Ratchet clarified after a brief awkward silence of wondering what he was talking about. "Sweet Tooth's rampage, I mean. We take full responsibility, and we make sure it'll <em>never</em> happen again."</p><p>Master Hand's fingers noticeably stiffened again. "Yes, you are correct. It will not, because from this moment, Sweet Tooth is to be prohibited from setting foot in <em>any</em> location that is property of Nintendo."</p><p>"What?!" Dante uncrossed his arms and removed himself from the wall. "I mean, pfft, yeah he screwed up but he never would've done it in the first place if it wasn't for <em>your</em> shitty system acting up!"</p><p>From the other side, Ike started storming over to Dante. "What was that?! Just who the hell do you think you are?!"</p><p>"He isn't worth it," Captain Falcon stated while he blocked Ike off with his arm.</p><p>"Dante… could you actually <em>care</em> for once?! We're in enough trouble, so <em>please</em> hush it!" Kat pleaded with her palm cupping her forehead, exhausted from arguing.</p><p>"You're right, Master Hand," Ratchet said. "On behalf of the All Stars, we just wanna apologize for what Sweet Tooth did. He'll… he'll be gone by tonight."</p><p>"Good. And, Ratchet, I'd like to speak to you privately when you have a chance. There is no rush."</p><p>Master Hand cleared his throat and dismissed everyone from the room. He ordered Lucario and Ike to escort the All Stars out of the hotel, where Mansion staff would then relocate them back to Donktastic.</p><hr/><p>Later That Evening</p><p>Even just by barely opening his eyelids, Jak grimaced from the light that ruthlessly invaded his ducts. Instinctively covering his face with his hands, that's when he noticed the array of tubes and wires into his arm and the rest of his body. A glimpse of his surroundings told him that he was in some sort of emergency room. Taking even further look around now that the stinging in his eyes was slowly fading away, he grimaced when he saw Zelda sitting beside his bed.</p><p>"Oh, thank the gods! You're alright!"</p><p>On reflex, Jak desperately clasped at his head with his palms to soften the ringing in his ears. Zelda's echoed words pounded through his lobes.</p><p>"Oh, Jak! Forgive me! Dr. Mario <em>did</em> say you would be quite sensitive for some time. H-Here..." With a dash of hesitation, she placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him back into a resting position on the medical bed. Looking into his eyes, however, she then backed up when his expression didn't reflect the same giddiness that she had.</p><p>"What are you doing here," he questioned. Blunt and straight to the point.</p><p>Zelda's intrigue in Jak had steadily risen ever since she happened to notice him back at the meet and greet, and especially when his likeness to Link was pointed out. But one thing that never ceased to frustrate her was his all around bad attitude. It didn't matter if his rudeness was on purpose or just naturally inherited through conversation, she would make sure that he now knew that it was not welcome to her.</p><p>"I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Is that so bad?"</p><p>"Why? You don't even know me," he replied, failing to do a decent job of masking his uncomfort.</p><p>"Given, yes, but I see no reason for your flippant demeanor, Jak." She stood up and hovered over him, hands cupping her waist like a disappointed mother. "Quite honestly, you have been <em>very</em> cold-shouldered to me, for a reason of which I don't know why. Tell me, what have I done to warrant this behavior from you? I only wish to make your acquaintance."</p><p>Their eyes locked for a few seconds, before he broke it by looking off to the side where his gun lay. Filling more demons with multitude of holes didn't sound like a bad idea to blow off some steam. Especially when it came to getting unwanted attention to himself.</p><p>He regretfully acknowledged her presence and began thinking of excuses to get her off his case. "Look, if this is about when you fell out of that bowl-"</p><p>"Jak, this is about having a <em>heart</em>. Concern for the ones you trust."</p><p>"'Trust'?" He let a brief laugh escape his mouth. "I see being cooped up in that castle of yours makes you think you can throw yourself at any random person you meet." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Good people get <em>killed</em> like that." He said it in a way almost warning her.</p><p>She shifted away from him and prepared to leave, having enough of his coldness. "I can see that you are well, and that gives me satisfaction. Though your body is healed, I cannot say the same for your heart." She walked over to the door and sighed. Before leaving, she turned back toward him.</p><p>"I just wanted to show appreciation for your bravery. Yes, for saving me from falling, and from when you fought for us at Dracula's Castle." Jak twitched in anger from hearing that last part that reminded him of what he was slowly losing control of. He yanked himself from the medical bed. Wires snapped and popped from his body and everything crashed on the floor.</p><p>He got in Zelda's face. "THAT WAS <em>NOT</em> ME!" He paused, looking into her eyes that had a hint of fear, along with pity for someone who was clearly losing himself.</p><p>She turned her head away from him, and headed out. "Forgive me for intruding. I'll leave you be."</p><p>She stormed out and into the hallway, fuming past Daxter and Link who were waiting outside.</p><p>Link stared as she angrily walked down the hall. He then turned back and glared at Jak.</p><p>Feeling ashamed for his outburst, Jak looked down and returned to inside the medical room. Link crossed his arms and slowly began walking away, in deep thought about what could've happened to make Zelda so mad.</p><p>Daxter looked back and forth between the door and Link. "Hey what gives? Gonna head out without sayin' goodbye to your twin brother?! Some manners you elf freaks have!"</p><p>Without turning back, Link raised up two fingers and waved as he proceeded to disappear down the hall.</p><hr/><p>Master Hand's Office</p><p>Ratchet knocked and slowly opened the door to Master Hand's office. "You wanted to see me, right?"</p><p>"Of course, have a seat."</p><p>It was a bit of an uncomfortable quiet that followed. He took a moment to take in the surroundings of Master Hand's workplace. Fairly straight and neat, but void of any real decorations. The only exception was a group of pictures that had every Smasher registered in the tournament on a wall next to his desk.</p><p>Surprisingly, Master Hand was in the process of putting up pictures of the All Stars as well, right underneath the Smashers. Kratos, Radec, Sir Daniel, and and all three members of the Cooper gang hung neatly next to each other. An empty frame was perched to the right of where Bentley's portrait was, suggesting Master Hand hadn't made it any further.</p><p>"Would you like a glass of orange juice?"</p><p>"Err, no but thanks."</p><p>"Very well. Most of my students love it so much, I've developed a habit of offering some whenever the opportunity presents itself. Apologies."</p><p>"No problem. I'm more of a grape juice kinda guy myself."</p><p>Another bit of awkward silence as Master Hand typed something on the computer.</p><p>"So Ratchet, I'd like to talk about what happened in the lounge today. I was informed that you attacked Dark Pit-"</p><p>"Whoa, hey, look. Before we go there, you need to know that he was asking for a <em>lot</em> more than just a punch in the face. Just ask Sonic-"</p><p>"Ratchet, don't worry. I'm well aware of his conduct as well, and have addressed him accordingly. But I'm bringing this up to <em>you</em> because…" He took a moment to sigh. "...I'm honestly disappointed in the way you handled it."</p><p>Ratchet looked down at his boots, sensing another lesson coming along.</p><p>"I believe the phrase is, 'man to man,' correct? That's how I want to speak to you now. Right now, I'm not some power authority or the boss of Smash, okay? I'm a common man just like you."</p><p>"Sure, okay."</p><p>"Listen, Ratchet, we are both well aware of the hostility between our two factions. It's something we're going to have to work through. Unity, the main goal."</p><p>Ratchet nodded along. "Uh, huh."</p><p>"Well, when something like this happens…" Master Hand pondered for a moment to think of the best way to explain to Ratchet his idea of peace. Rummaging through his mind, he came up with an odd idea. "Are you familiar with the Earth legend of Jesus?"</p><p>"Uhh… yyyeah…" Ratchet hesitated, not sure where this was going.</p><p>"His story is quite fascinating. But one of my favorite teachings is when he instructs his followers to, as some humans put it, 'turn the other cheek.' With what Dark Pit did today, it would've been wise to simply walk away, even if he continued to harass you."</p><p>Ratchet sat up farther in his seat, getting a little irritable. "So you're saying that I'm supposed to just let them walk all over me like a floor mat?!"</p><p>"I'm saying, when it comes to confrontations like earlier, let the <em>other</em> side escalate it. The issue is, most of them are <em>expecting</em> you to do <em>exactly</em> what you did earlier. They're waiting for you to throw the first punch. And just like you, I want to prove them wrong. So I'm asking you, whenever someone tests you like Dark Pit has, because I can assure you they will, don't take the first swing."</p><p>Ratchet didn't agree, but he nodded his head and replied, "Okay." He stood up and dismissed himself. "Well, I'd better get going and see Sweet Tooth off back at the hotel. He oughta be ready by now."</p><p>Before Ratchet left out the door, Master Hand stopped him. "Ratchet."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Thank you."</p><hr/><p>Later That Night At Donktastic</p><p>Donktastic's lobby was as lively as ever with fans and guests all fixated on demon hunter Dante as he retold the events at the castle. Much of it was exaggerated and just for fun, but he loved seeing the crowd enjoying themselves.</p><p>"Alright, alright, alright, here's the last part. Okay, so, those goat body builders were coming straight for me and my girl, Nariko, right? And it was just us in the zone, and we just sorta… <em>clicked</em>, right? So then…" Dante paused, smirked, and shot a sly grin over at Nariko. "Y'know, why don't <em>you</em> tell them what happened, sweetheart?"</p><p>She stared off forward into the TV screen as she shot him down a couple of notches. "I am <em>not</em> 'your girl.'"</p><p>"Oooooh," the crowd teased from Nariko's sick burn.</p><p>Dante laughed and leaned back against the bar counter. "Well shit, baby, we could've fooled those demons into thinking we were a couple. Y'know, we were <em>so</em> in sync, if y'all saw us, you would swear we've been screwing around for ages."</p><p>"Aww, now isn't that just <em>adorable</em>!" Drake teased. "Nice to see you two finally making some progress! About time! Hey, remember, now. The first step is admitting you have a problem. And Nariko, having the hots for Dante is a uhh... catatshronic psycho... ugh. Bentley, how did you say it earlier?"</p><p>With a finger in the air, the turtle replied, "I believe the term is 'catastrophic psychological disorder.' But even <em>that</em> wouldn't be a prime elaboration on just how a SEVERE a crush on this guy is! I mean, this is <em>Dante</em> we're talking about!"</p><p>Sly joined in on the dogpilling. "Tell me about it! Hey, remember when it took a whole year just to get Nariko to call Dante by his actual name, instead of 'heathen boy'?"</p><p>"Whoa, are you for real?!" One fan from the crowd asked.</p><p>"Don't be such a shag! Dante is sooo hot!" Another stated.</p><p>Dante took a swig out of his brew and laughed along with the crowd. Making fun of Nariko had to be up there on his top three favorite pastimes.</p><p>Having enough attention on her, Nariko uncrossed her legs and stood up. "You're making a mockery of a battle that almost cost us our lives."</p><p>Dante nonchalantly cracked open another beer against the table as he got ready to refute her. "Pfft, I'd say we had it all under control. Don't know about you, but I wasn't breakin' a sweat."</p><p>Nariko crossed her arms as she made her way closer to him. "Is that so? You had no fear, boy? What about when you told Kat not to be 'deadweight'?"</p><p>Kat slumped further down into the loveseat, wishing she wasn't brought into the argument.</p><p>"Or perhaps when you thought Jak had perished? Were you so iron-hided at that moment as well? Or is your bravado and big talk as fruitless as your swordsmanship?"</p><p>"OOOOOOH!" The crowd fawned even louder this time, getting hyped up from the tension.</p><p>Dante burped and let his eyes meet hers for the first time tonight.</p><p>"She has a point, y'know," Emmett stated. "When we heard what was going on, we were worried sick. Lord forbid, y'all end up as one of them stone statues on the roof of his castle."</p><p>"Hey, is that what really happens after Dracula sucks your blood?" Spike asked.</p><p>Ratchet fiddled with a pen on the sofa, clicking the tip in and out to pass the time, and hoping the excessive clicking noise would drown out the sounds of the crowd, as well as Dante and Nariko's daily argument. He felt a sudden shift of weight on the sofa and looked to his left. It was Raiden, as serious as ever, staring off into a blank wall across the room.</p><p>He sighed and crossed his legs before he began speaking. "I don't like this." Raiden grumbled out.</p><p>Ratchet tossed the pen back toward the cup, sighing heavily when he saw that he missed. "Yeah? Well, welcome to the club."</p><p>"Not just being here in our rival's home universe," Raiden elaborated, "I mean, how everything is being handled. If Sweet Tooth can get kicked out in less than forty eight hours, what does that mean for the rest of us?"</p><p>"Y'know, this <em>is</em> Sweet Tooth we're talking about. But I catch your drift. No one wants to stay somewhere where they're watching their back all the time. I <em>already</em> feel like if I screw up, I'm toast. Bad enough I gotta listen to lectures from Polygon Man, now I got those weird, giant fingers breathing down my neck too."</p><p>Raiden nodded forward, still staring at the same spot across the room. "Hmm. Precisely my point. Is that what Master Hand talked to you about earlier? Kat told me that he called you out in front of everyone back at the Mansion."</p><p>Raiden turned and narrowed his eye at Ratchet. Normally, if it was anyone else, Ratchet would be on edge. But he got used to the seriousness of Raiden over the years.</p><p>"I punched some loser who was beggin' for it, and Master Hand went in to me about how <em>I</em> was wrong. Some crap about how <em>I'm</em> supposed to be a role model for unity or whatever, and he can't have me doing that in his Mansion."</p><p>Ratchet was about to speak again before they were cut off by a fan. "Hey, can I get a selfie with you two?!"</p><p>Raiden nodded and scooted over closer to Ratchet. They got interrupted again when Polygon Man and Sweet Tooth came out of the elevator. Silence invaded the lively space as the two made their way into the middle of the lobby.</p><p>Sweet Tooth's shoulders were slumped all the way over. Even with his mask on, it was easy to see that he was feeling like crap for what happened. Polygon Man was in the same boat, looking quite distraught as he began to speak.</p><p>"I would first like to thank our fans for showing your loyalty to our brand. We thank you, and promise you that from here on out, we will not fail you like we did today. With that being said, I regret to inform you that one of PlayStation's most iconic mascots, Sweet Tooth, will no longer be with us for the remainder of our time here. Thank you for understanding."</p><p>Ratchet noticed Polygon Man's expression. He looked like he was on the verge of an anger explosion. Ratchet also squinted his eyes, seeing Polygon Man mutter something to Sweet Tooth, before the head abruptly floated away to a random backroom.</p><p>Raiden nudged Ratchet in the arm and stood up. "Come on. Let's get this over with."</p><p>All the All Stars made their way over to Sweet Tooth, who simply stood with his luggage in hand.</p><p>"I'd be lying if I said I'd miss you guys." Sweet Tooth joked.</p><p>"Geez, tell us how you <em>really</em> feel," Kuro snarked.</p><p>"But, you can't leave, Sweet Tooth!" PaRappa exclaimed. "You're like the freshest clown in town! There's gotta be another way!"</p><p>Sweet Tooth knelt down and patted Parappa on his flat head. "I screwed up, kiddo. I let myself get too mad." The clown clenched his fists in anger just thinking about it. "But that stupid Joanna was <em>really</em> pissing me off! I had to do <em>something</em> before I-" He paused, feeling the flames on his head growing hotter, he cursed himself for almost losing control again.</p><p>"Hold up. Who's Joanna?" Emmett asked.</p><p>"Looong story." Clank muttered.</p><p>Sweet Tooth stood up and growled through his mask. "It is… what it is…" He said in a deep, guttural voice.</p><p>Everyone shook hands with their teammate, and walked him out of the lobby to underneath the hotel awning. Somebody from inside the crowd started clapping, and that triggered a train reaction of claps as they made their way out of the hotel.</p><p>"SWEET TOOTH! SWEET TOOTH! SWEET TOOTH!" Everyone chanted Sweet Tooth's name as he made his way outside.</p><p>Master Hand ordered some Hammer Bros to escort him to the airport. The transit car pulled up and one troopa opened the backdoor to beckon the clown inside.</p><p>Drake pulled him into a handshake and patted him on the back. "Hey, you take care of yourself, okay? I mean that, big guy."</p><p>Kratos surprised everyone by giving Sweet Tooth his blessings. "You were an accomplished warrior… for a mortal. I expect you to show the same courage you have to us, for those foolish enough to cross your path." They shook hands, and Kratos said his goodbye. "Be strong… brother."</p><p>Princess Plump ran up and gave the clown a hug on his leg. "Oh, Sweet Tooth! Who am I going to binge ice cream with now?! Murray's a sucker for sweets, but even <em>he</em> can't get past seventeen triple fudge sundaes like you and I did!"</p><p>He didn't say anything, only bent down to wrap her up in a genuine hug. Sometimes, silence is enough.</p><p>Finally, Ratchet trudged up and gave a firm handshake to the clown. "It wasn't your fault." Ratchet comforted.</p><p>Sweet Tooth sighed and took one step into the car. Before getting in all the way, he said, "Take care of PlayStation, Ratchet. She's in your hands now."</p><p>The troopas slammed the backseat door and the car sped off for the airport.</p><p>...And the All Stars stared out as its taillights dissolved into the haze of the moonlight.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Week 2: Settling In, Sneaking Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Three Days Later…</p>
<p>After the tour incident, things had gradually slowed down. It had been a few days after, and within that time, people were learning to be content with the way things would be between the Smashers and All Stars. No one knew how long it would take for Polygon Man to convince PlayStation to start another Battle Royale season, but the topic or even the word "PlayStation" was something that would quickly be dodged in conversation since it was so divisive.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Ratchet had managed to make a couple of friends through Sonic; them being Knuckles, Amy and Falco. Amy was more of an exception though, because even after being kicked out of the mansion over a hundred times since she wasn't a fighter, she still always found a way to verbally and physically annoy her "future husband." Nevertheless, any friend of Sonic's was a friend of her's, and Falco had put aside any remaining ounce of hostility when he found out Ratchet was also a pilot.</p>
<p>Just like Sonic, Falco had found common ground with the Lombax, and took him under his wing, even becoming strong allies in a short amount of time. He'd make sure to put in a good word for Ratchet whenever he hung around his other good friends like Pit and Fox, even though Fox was still a little on edge like everyone else. It was only natural for Sonic to start inviting Ratchet to eat with them in the morning. Usually, it would be just Sonic and Knuckles chowing down and hanging out on one of the many rooftops of the castle. Also, Amy would also join in whenever the coast was clear, and the on duty guards weren't paying attention.</p>
<p>At least for Sonic, the rooftops were one of his favorite places in the mansion, since there was usually always too much people and drama inside. Sonic had even managed to fit his trusty beach chair up there, while Knuckles always dragged up his boombox with him. Master Hand would always plead for Sonic to leave his accessories off the roof of his mansion, claiming that they made the building look "tacky" from a distance. For this morning, it was the usual group: Sonic, Ratchet, and Knuckles just laying out on the rooftops with bellies full of delicious breakfast.</p>
<p>Specifically, Knuckles was in the process of telling his usual corny jokes. "So that's when he said, 'Hey! That's no security guard! That's my wife!'"</p>
<p>Ratchet and Sonic both looked at each other with half-lidded eyes, then shared their gazes with Knuckles.</p>
<p>"Oh come on guys! It's funny!"</p>
<p>"See, Knucklehead, <em>this</em> is why Tails always likes to have Friday game night with <em>me</em> and not <em>you</em>. You're like that cheesy uncle that nobody likes, but just laughs along anyway 'cause they don't wanna hurt his feelings."</p>
<p>"Oh, Soooniiic! I'm back with more meat lovers!" Amy's cheerful voice grabbed everyone's attention as she ran up to their spot. She plopped down next to Sonic on the same chair, and held out the food for him like a parent to their baby.</p>
<p>"What the?! Amy, don't tell me you actually went back into the mansion just to get me some lousy slice of pizza! What if you got caught? Y'know how Fingers feels about you sneaking in."</p>
<p>"Well, Master Hand can take his fingers and shove em' where the sun don't shine! I'm not letting anyone stop me from taking care of my man! Especially after I had to fight off King K <em>and</em> DK at the same time for the last slice!"</p>
<p>Knuckles spit out his juice after hearing that last part. "What?! You fought <em>those</em> two off at the <em>same time</em>? Dang, Sonic, maybe Master Hand oughta make her a Fighter after all."</p>
<p>Sonic chuckled, already going in on his gifted slice of meaty goodness. "Mhrmm, totally. She'd, mhrm, do a better job than you anyway, Knucklehead."</p>
<p>Knuckles growled and stood up. "Watch it, Sonic, before I make your girlfriend cry once I snap you in half!"</p>
<p>Ignoring Knuckles, Sonic greeted Falco who had just walked up to them and took a seat. "Sup, Feathers. Nice to see you swingin' by."</p>
<p>"Morning, guys! You th-" Falco paused, seeing a particular piece of food in Sonic's hand. "Ah, so <em>you're</em> the one who got that last slice."</p>
<p>"Shhh!" Amy giggled while she put her index finger to her lip, urging Falco not to tattle.</p>
<p>"Ergh. My lips are zipped." Falco turned his head to Ratchet next to him and nudged him in the arm. "And don't worry. We're still on for that race. You've talked up a big game but until I see it, you'll just be another sucker eating my dust."</p>
<p>"Heh, you're on. Matter of fact, I was going to go pick up Aphelion from the airport around noon. If you're down for it, we can race today."</p>
<p>Falco scratched the back of his head and replied. "Darn. As much as I'd love to, we have our seasonal assembly today."</p>
<p>"Craaap. Forgot about that dumb meeting," Sonic groaned out.</p>
<p>"Doesn't matter to you, you'll just end up skipping anyway like you did with the <em>last</em> two meetings," teased Knuckles.</p>
<p>"Nah. Can't afford to this time. Fingers said it'd be a suspension if I skip again. Definitely can't get set back with this new season firing up."</p>
<p>Amy stood over Sonic with her hands on her waist. "Oh, Sonic! If you'd start taking yourself more seriously and stop slouching around, you'd beat everyone here! After all, no one's as strong as my man!"</p>
<p>"Oh, gimme a break…" Knuckles facepalmed.</p>
<p>"Geez, I wish it were that easy, Ames. But a lot of these newbies are pretty tough." Sonic wiped the breadcrumbs off his gloves and rubbed his tummy. "Say, why don't you tag along with us to the assembly, Ratch?"</p>
<p>Falco hesitated. "Sonic… eh, I don't think that's such a good idea."</p>
<p>Sonic peeked one eye at Falco. "Yeah? What makes you say that?"</p>
<p>Falco gently lay a reassuring hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "Nothing against <em>you</em>, Ratchet. It's just that… y'know, a lot of people still haven't warmed up to you yet."</p>
<p>"Don't sweat it guys," Ratchet reassured. "Master Hand already told me it's gonna be like this for a while."</p>
<p>"Nah, see, that's the problem," Sonic started, "It <em>shouldn't</em> be like this at all. You <em>shouldn't</em> have dudes bugging out on you just for where you come from. That's bogus. I'm not putting up with it and you shouldn't either."</p>
<p>Falco sighed. He hated that they even had to have this conversation. "Yeah, I'm one hundred percent with you Sonic. But we've gotta take it slow with this. For some people in here, it's more than just a rivalry thing. Know what I'm getting at?"</p>
<p>Knuckles crossed his arms and shrugged. "Tch, yeah, but how long do we wait? Until Goku gets invited to Smash? Because it seems that's how long it's gonna take."</p>
<p>Ratchet was flattered by their support, but he felt that opting out would probably be the best thing to do. "It's bad enough Nintendo isn't my parent. I'm not even a registered fighter. So what business would I have going to this meeting?"</p>
<p>"Look," Sonic started, sitting up in his beach chair, "Your boss and Fingers agreed to have you here so that you can ease the heat between everyone right? Well I'd say this is a golden opportunity. Can't win an argument with zipped lips, and ya can't start a movement standing still."</p>
<p>"Pfft, where'd you steal <em>that</em> one? From one of Shadow's lockit diaries?" Knuckles teased.</p>
<p>"Whoaaa, he still writes in those things?! Oh he is <em>totes</em> getting clowned next time I spot him!"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Meanwhile at Donktastic</p>
<p>In a random tuck in the hotel, Evil Cole leaned against the window pane, gazing out into the gargantuan backdrop of the Metro Kingdom. His focus was particularly garnered by the tallest building in the skyline, Smash Mansion. It was hard to miss with its skylights and fans that never ceased to stop parading around its perimeter. It was just the thing that had enough to fuel Cole's jealousy, backed up by the fact that there was nothing to do in the hotel except draw faces in the paisley wallpaper.</p>
<p>Between Master Hand and Polygon Man, Cole wanted to pummel whichever one of those idiots that came up with the rule to keep him from staying in that heavenly mansion. But since when did Evil Cole let rules stop him from doing what he wanted to do? With devious ideas pooling in his brain, he let a mischievous smile creep on his face. That was, until Spike broke Cole's brainstorming when he walked up to speak to him.</p>
<p>"Hi, Cole! Been looking all over for you! Parappa and Daxter are gonna start another game of Uno. Wanna come?"</p>
<p>"Pfft. Why even bother? Kiddie games like that are only fun when I get to cheat, but PaRappa's too much of a sore loser. So no."</p>
<p>"Maybe if you'd stop cheating, it'd be fun for everybody then."</p>
<p>Cole chuckled and stood all the way up from against the window. "Know somethin', Spike, you're almost like a son to me. So big daddy Cole's gonna give you an important life lesson. Number one: <em>Never</em> do anything to please someone else. Don't matter who it is, even your godddamn mother. Two: Rules are meant to be broken. <em>Everything</em> is more of a thrill when you cheat." He took his hand and playfully caressed Spike's hair, making it to look even wilder. "But lessons are best learned firsthand. That's why you're coming with me to sneak into Smash Mansion."</p>
<p>"Whuh?! That's crazy! I thought we wer-" He quickly interrupted Spike by covering his mouth with a hand. "-mrmph!"</p>
<p>"If you go your life THINKING too much, you ain't gonna have any fun." He let go of Spike's mouth and continued. "We're leaving at twelve tonight. Let's see how fast we can get kicked out."</p>
<p>Spike double facepalmed and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this. We can't sneak out! We'll get in troub-"</p>
<p>"Shh! Little runt! Don't announce it to the world!"</p>
<p>"Oops! Sorry!"</p>
<p>"What's this I hear about sneaking out?!" Kuro asked, rounding the corner with a cheeky grin on his face.</p>
<p>Cole facepalmed. "Well, at least it's someone who won't rat. We're sneaking into Smash Mansion tonight."</p>
<p>"For realzies?! Then I'm coming too! You're gonna need someone to guide you around."</p>
<p>"You've been to the Mansion <em>one</em> time and think you know the place?"</p>
<p>"C'mon, you know that Toro and I are the biggest fans of video games! I've been to Smash Mansion plenty of times… <em>virtually</em>."</p>
<p>Cole scratched his head and sighed. "I'm not even gonna ask. I'll let you come <em>only</em> because you're not a square. Just meet us at this spot around twelve tonight, and bring a disguise, so we don't get recognized."</p>
<p>"I've still got my Ninjago costume from last year's Halloween!" Spike said.</p>
<p>Evil Cole shrugged. "I'll just throw on some gym shorts, a jersey, and call myself a basketball player."</p>
<p>Cole and Spike then looked down at Kuro. He could just go on all fours and pretend to be a regular cat.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Later at the Smash Assembly</p>
<p>Sonic cracked the door open just enough to where it granted a peek into the auditorium. They could hear Daisy already talking on the microphone.</p>
<p>"Crap, we're late." Ratchet said. "Think we're gonna get an earful from Master Hand?"</p>
<p>Sonic shrugged. "So what if we do? Fingers oughta be glad I decided to show up at all." Sonic opened the door all the way now, and got ready to go inside. "Now remember... Dramatic. Entrance." Sonic winked and gave a thumbs up. Ratchet flashed a fake smile, not sure where the hedgehog was getting at. In one quick motion, Sonic flew open the door and walked inside. "Gooood afternoon, my peeps! Would've been here earlier, but we got wind that McDonald's stocked back up on the McRib."</p>
<p>"OOOH! OH MY GOODNESS! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Daisy screamed in excitement. Master Hand shifted towards her with a condescending posture. "O-Oh, uh, I mean, you know better than to come in here late, Sonic," Daisy chastised with her arms on her waist. She pointed to Sonic then to an empty chair. "Heinie in a seat, <em>now</em>!"</p>
<p>"Heh. As you wish, milady."</p>
<p>Daisy leaned over with her hand covering her mouth and whispered, "How was that? Pretty good, huh?" Master Hand quickly approved of her disciplinary skill and urged her to continue on, which she did. "Now, we'll discuss your tardiness later." Daisy noticed who was next to Sonic, and inquired why he was there. "Ratchet, was there something you needed?"</p>
<p>Ratchet tensed, feeling all the attention on him at once.</p>
<p>"He's tagging along with me. That okay?"</p>
<p>Daisy paused then quickly nodded, unsure of how she should handle it herself. "Umm, of course. Right now, we were in the middle of reviewing last year's performance."</p>
<p>"Hold on. <em>He's</em> not one of us. He doesn't belong here." Ganondorf stated across the room, clearly pointing toward Ratchet.</p>
<p>Sonic put on a valley girl accent and sarcastically replied. "Um, well, let's see. Well he <em>is</em>, like, a resident of the mansion. And, uh, the rule <em>is</em> that any resident is welcome to <em>any</em> and <em>all</em>, like, events in the campus. That, like, good enough for ya, Ganon<em>dork</em><em>?"</em></p>
<p>"Mmm… says <em>who</em>, roadkill?"</p>
<p>"Says, I," boomed Master Hand. "Are there any other objections to Ratchet's company?"</p>
<p>Awkward silence flooded the auditorium.</p>
<p>"Of course not. You know you are more than welcome here, love." Rosalina stated.</p>
<p>"You bet! Nice to see you, bud!" Falco called from higher up in the pews. It warmed Ratchet's heart to have some support, even if it was little.</p>
<p>"Hey, Sonic! Over here!" Ness and Lucas called over. Sonic was usually more favored by the younger fighters of Smash.</p>
<p>"Well, if it isn't my two favorite brats! C'mon Ratch," Sonic beckoned. "These guys are chill."</p>
<p>"Alrighty! Back on track," exclaimed Daisy as she moved on to the next slide on the presentation. "Nintendo absolutely <em>smashed</em> it, hee hee, get it?"</p>
<p>"Booo! On with the news!"</p>
<p>"Okay! Okay! Nintendo did a fantastic job in the final quarter of 2020, despite the launch of Microsoft's Xbox Series X, and Sony's PlayStation 5. The Switch remained the top-selling console in November and December hands down!" The presentation on the screen behind her moved to the next slide that had both an Xbox logo and a PlayStation logo on it. "We're still number one!" She twirled around and poked her tongue out at the screen. Ratchet cringed, feeling a little uncomfortable of his parent getting made fun of.</p>
<p>"Xbox is still a thing? Pfft, wow," Ren joked.</p>
<p>Dark Pit got up and shook his fist at Joker. "Hey, show some respect, jerk! Master Chief and I are tight, and he said to look out for Halo Infinite! Xbox is gonna make a comeback, just watch!"</p>
<p>Wolf rolled his eyes and sided with Joker. "Comeback? They were never relevant."</p>
<p>"I swear, you're the only person I know that still likes them," Ren responded.</p>
<p>"Oh, shut up. I don't care what you think, and Chief doesn't either."</p>
<p>"Boys!" Daisy shouted while pointing at the three arguing men. "Can we get back on track?!"</p>
<p>"Yes ma'am." They droned a reply in unison.</p>
<p>"Great. Movin' on! Here's an update on the reconstruction of the Figure 8 Circuit." It got silent, and Ratchet could sense a few more eyes on him now. "Repairs are scheduled to be finished in a couple of weeks, meaning that even though it's a fan favorite stage, we won't be able to battle on it for a little bit. Bummer, I know."</p>
<p>Terry crossed his arms and chuckled. "Are you kidding me? I hated that stage. Having to wash tire treads off your behind isn't very fun, y'know."</p>
<p>"Nor is it good for the environment!" Viridi chimed in. "Imagine all that water got wasted because some big dolt didn't look both ways before he crossed the street!"</p>
<p>"Master Hand? If I may…" Palutena stood up with her scepter raised. Master Hand gave the go head by making a shoo away gesture. "This is why I, including some others, believe that it is inappropriate for Ratchet to be present here. After such a devastating tragedy that the other party is responsible for, <em>surely</em> you understand why some of us are quite sensitive." She then turned towards the Lombax and continued to speak. "Furthermore, despite my words, I harbor no ill feelings towards you, Ratchet. I am simply disappointed that the event happened in the first place, and even <em>greater</em> disappointed that a public apology or address was not issued to the victims."</p>
<p>Ratchet audibly groaned and whispered, "For crying out loud, Sonic, can I get through <em>one</em> day without having to be the PlayStation punching bag?" Before Sonic could reply, Ratchet then spoke up for himself. "Umm, we <em>did</em> publicly apologize. That's why Sweet Tooth isn't here anymore."</p>
<p>"Not true. <em>He</em> isn't here anymore because Master Hand kicked him out," countered Meta Knight.</p>
<p>Palutena nodded in agreement. "Yes. So the question then becomes, would that monster still be here If it wasn't for Master Hand's intervention? Would they take responsibility for the harm that was done to our people?"</p>
<p>It felt like every hand was grasped around Ratchet's neck and squeezing every last bit of oxygen out of him. He knew he had to be careful, but what could he say to keep them from getting even angrier at him?</p>
<p>Master Hand rose his voice and interrupted again. "This is a discussion for another time. Daisy, let's wrap up the meeting."</p>
<p>Ratchet had to remember to thank Master Hand for always getting him out of the hot seat. He tugged on his shirt and let out a huge breath.</p>
<p>Daisy cleared her throat and continued. "For the last bit of news, more than ever, fans are excited for this new season of Smash Ultimate. People are tuning in from all over the gaming-sphere to check out what we're up to! Not to mention that interest has peaked thanks to our new fighters."</p>
<p>Everyone couldn't help but turn their eyes to Sephiroth, who had definitely conjured up the most attention than any other fighter in the past. He stood in a corner, to himself, in the darkest tuck of the room. There was also Pyra and Mythra who just arrived yesterday, and many people were thankful that Master Hand kept his promise to bring more female fighters to the roster.</p>
<p>"This means that the heat is on! This is gonna be the most intense season of Super Smash Bros. ever! Let's do our best everyone!" Everyone cheered and clapped their hands. "I hope everyone is ready, because <em>I'm</em> gonna win the championship this time for sure!" Daisy stepped off and everyone broke into conversation with one another with those next to them, and others started heading out the auditorium.</p>
<p>"C'mon, Ratch. Let's ditch this joint before some <em>other</em> crybaby starts blaming you for something outta your control." Sonic paused when he looked over and saw the look of hesitation on Ratchet's face.</p>
<p>"Sonic… I think she's right."</p>
<p>"No, don't let em' get to you. It's just a guilt trip, dude. There was <em>nothing</em> that you could've done to stop those guys from getting hurt."</p>
<p>"...Maybe. But what about afterwards? We never <em>did</em> do a speech saying we were sorry for what-"</p>
<p>"Ratchet, c'mon man, don't start bailing on me now. Are you gonna go your entire time here licking everyone's boots?!" He placed both his hands on Ratchet's shoulders. "What happened was NOT PlayStation's fault! Kay? It was only on <em>one</em> guy, and he's been taken care of now. Just because someone wants you on your knees, crying your eyes out doesn't mean you have to do it!" Sonic felt a tug on his arm and looked over to see Lucas trying to get his attention. "Yeah? What's up?"</p>
<p>"So… a lot of people don't really like him." Lucas stated, pointing toward Ratchet. "I hear people saying bad things about him a lot."</p>
<p>"Oookaaay…" Sonic droned, shrugging off the obvious.</p>
<p>Lucas stood up and shook Ratchet's hand. "I just want you to know, we don't care! <em>We</em> think you're cool!"</p>
<p>"Yeah! I like your ears," Ness exclaimed while playing with Ratchet's ears with both hands.</p>
<p>"Gee, thanks. It's a little refreshing to know that not everyone sees me as the big bad Sony monster." Ratchet got up and tried to deflect the stabbing eyes off of him, wondering if what he was doing was worth it. If all of this was worth fighting for at this point.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Later that night at Donktastic</p>
<p>Evil Cole, Spike, and Kuro, an unlikely trio, met up just like they promised, and were heading through the deep interior of the hotel to sneak out unnoticed. Their outfits were ridiculous and probably drew more attention instead, but as long as they kept their backs turned from curious eyes, no one would immediately recognize them. Successfully, they made it to a tucked away corridor that had an exit that would lead them straight outside to the rear of the parking lot.</p>
<p>"Why didn't we just hop out of the window, Cole?" Spike asked.</p>
<p>"Because goin' out through this backdoor is easier. Plus, there's less chance we'll get spotted."</p>
<p>The only thing illuminating their current area was a searing red glow coming from the exit sign that was fastened just above the door frame. But to add to the creepy vibe, a tall, shadowy figure emerged from the door and stood blocking their path.</p>
<p>"EEEP! WHAT IS THAT," Kuro screamed, hopping up and down in fright.</p>
<p>Cole reached for his Amp, ready to bash whatever demon or beast this seemed to be. But the closer the figure got, the more he was able to make out who it was in the outline of the red glow. Cole rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth. "Relax. It's just Raiden."</p>
<p>Raiden stopped in front of the group and crossed his arms. "What are you doing here?"</p>
<p>"For shits sake, don't you have anything better to do than to be campin' out in dark hallways?"</p>
<p>"You forget, I'm always watching to make sure nothing suspicious is going on. So when I saw three energy signatures huddled around the maintenance exit, I didn't expect you three to be here. Now answer my question."</p>
<p>"Heeey, Raiden! Don't you trust us?" Kuro inquired.</p>
<p>"If it were anybody else, I wouldn't care. But since <em>Cole</em> is here, I know this is nothing innocent."</p>
<p>"Fine. You wanna know what we're up to? We're sneaking into Smash Mansion. There. Go play hall monitor somewhere else," Cole said, walking right past Raiden and making his way to the exit door.</p>
<p>"Cole, nooo! Now he knows!" Kuro whined.</p>
<p>"It's okay," Cole reassured. "As long as he doesn't snitch."</p>
<p>Raiden paused, thinking over his options as he watched the other two join Cole. "...I'm coming too."</p>
<p>"What?! You <em>are</em>?!" Spike asked.</p>
<p>"Yes. It's obvious I'm not going to be able to convince you to <em>not</em> go. So I'll accompany you... to make sure the place doesn't get burned down."</p>
<p>"Fine," Cole agreed. "You're gonna need a disguise."</p>
<p>"I can see..." Raiden said while looking at how ridiculous Cole and Spike were in their getups. "I still have my Mariachi outfit lying about somewhere. Just give me a second."</p>
<p>After Raiden put on his disguise, the group of four men walked out into the misty night, suddenly realizing that they had no actual way of getting over to Smash Mansion. It was located all the way across New Donk City, and if they were to walk, it would take them the entire night just to get there.</p>
<p>Evil Cole scanned the hotel parking lot and stopped when his eyes fell upon a car that clearly stood out. It was a tricked out Toyota Supra with a VeilSide bodykit. The body was painted teal, and two-tone flame graphics plastered the sides. It was a remarkable piece of automotive art.</p>
<p>"Damn! Check out this babe right here," Cole exclaimed, walking around the car and taking in all its details.</p>
<p>"A little too loud for my taste," disagreed Raiden.</p>
<p>"Pfft, well you ain't the one who's stealing it."</p>
<p>Raiden held his arm out in Cole's way. "Neither are you. You're not pulling a grand theft auto while I'm around."</p>
<p>"If that's the case, you can get lost then."</p>
<p>"Whoa! Back away from my whip!" The group turned behind to see the owner of the car walking up to them. As soon as they did though, he dropped his stuff, as well as his jaw when he easily recognized who they were. "Spike?! Raiden?! And COLE MACGRATH?! This is... this is the greatest night of my life! I heard you guys were here, but I didn't think I'd actually get to SEE y'all!"</p>
<p>"Heeey, you don't recognize <em>me</em>?" Kuro asked.</p>
<p>"Sorry buddy. Never heard of you before." He turned his focus back to the other three. "So what are y'all out here for dressed like that?"</p>
<p>"We're just... running a few errands. But there's a problem." Cole grinned and approached the man, laying a hand on his shoulder. "A problem you can help with. We need a car, and we just happened to stumble on yours. Wanna lend us a hand?"</p>
<p>"You bet! But I'll let you take my car on <em>one</em> condition."</p>
<p>"M'kay. What is it?" Cole replied.</p>
<p>"I want you to punch the shit out of me."</p>
<p>"The hell?!" Raiden asked, shocked by how forward the guy was.</p>
<p>"What kind of ridiculous request is that?!" Cole asked.</p>
<p>"No, wait! Think about it! How <em>awesome</em> would it be to walk around with a scar on my face to brag to my friends with! Yeah sure, they might have a signed bobblehead or whatever. But the <em>best</em> signature is on the face for everyone to see!"</p>
<p>"Pfft. In that case, I'll just get a pen and sign my name on your forehead. But I ain't punching you in the face, man. Lord knows if you'd even survive it."</p>
<p>"Oh come on, man! Just one good swing right here!"</p>
<p>"No, I-"</p>
<p>"The keys are yours if you-"</p>
<p>"Listen to me and quit-"</p>
<p>"You know ya want to!"</p>
<p>"Would you SHUT UP and just-"</p>
<p>"Do it! Don't be a wuss! I-"</p>
<p>*WHABAM*</p>
<p>He got dropped in a flash by Cole's left hook and blood was already leaking from his nose.</p>
<p>"Maggot shoulda known better than to call <em>me</em> a wuss. Now he'll have a broken nose to go brag to his friends about."</p>
<p>"What do we do with him? We can't just leave him lying in the middle of the parking lot like this!" Spike said.</p>
<p>"He'll be fine," assured Kuro. "Security will see him and mistake him for someone that got too drunk and passed out. Happens all the time!" In response to his odd advice, everyone cast awkward glances at Kuro. "Hey, don't ask me how I know!"</p>
<p>"Anyways," Cole started, "I gave the maggot what it asked for. Time for him to own up to his end of the deal."</p>
<p>He crouched down and fished the keys out of the owner's pockets. Cole twirled the keys around fingers before he opened the door and plopped himself down into the driver seat. Spike and Kuro threw themselves into the backseats that barely had enough room due to the enormous subwoofers and NOS bottles taking up all the space.</p>
<p>Evil Cole reached to put the key to ignition, but Raiden's literal iron grip caught Cole's wrist before he could turn the car on. Cole looked down at the limb imprisoning his own, then up at Raiden, fighting the urge to lay Raiden out like he did his own fan just a minute ago.</p>
<p>"You got a problem?"</p>
<p>"Don't think about doing anything stupid in this car. We're bringing it back in one piece to this man, right where it belongs. I am <em>not</em> letting more bad press come to sabotage our name."</p>
<p>Cole laughed and yanked his arm from Raiden's hold. "Nah. You're gonna sit there like a good little boy while big daddy Cole takes us for a spin."</p>
<p>Cole promptly turned the car on, mashed the gas pedal, and let the turbo charged engine bang against the eardrums of every nearby pedestrian. The parking lot became possessed with the screech of tires getting shredded to oblivion in Cole's drift, and he whipped the car around the crossway of the parking lot. His passengers were thrown left and right around the car due to the sudden maneuvers.</p>
<p>"Oops! Shoulda gave y'all a chance to click in those seatbelts! My bad. Better hope we don't get stopped by any pigs, 'cause I ain't paying a ticket."</p>
<p>Kuro helplessly waddled his arms and legs and back and forth under the weight of his preteen passenger. "Spike! Your butt! Get off!"</p>
<p>"I can't mo-ACK!"</p>
<p>Everyone was suddenly throw to the right as Cole yanked the car out of the way of an incoming mixer truck. All he could hear was the blaring horn from the truck as he whizzed by it, just inches away from trading paint.</p>
<p>"<em>Damn</em>, that was a close one, huh?" Cole elbowed Raiden in the side to get praise from him. Instead, Raiden pointed to another upcoming hazard. "Up ahead, to your right! TO YOUR RIGHT!"</p>
<p>This time, it was a pit of construction workers working in the right lane. The workers stopped what they were doing when they heard the engine approaching dangerously fast. Not too long after, they could see the baby blue rocket ship speeding toward them at breakneck speed and they stumbled over each other, urging one another to flee. "OUT OF THE WAY MEN! THERE'S A MANIAC ON THE STREET!" "MOVE! MOVE! <em>MOVE</em>!" "What? Ya got ants in ya pants?! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"</p>
<p>Cole's excitement shot way past the roof when he saw what the carpenters were working on. In the pit, there just so happened to be an angled mountain of asphalt that could maybe... just maybe be used as a ramp.</p>
<p>"COLE! TURN! THE! WHEEL! WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE THAT JUMP! WE'RE GOING TO CRASH <em>RIGHT</em> INTO IT FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" Raiden pleaded at the top of his lungs.</p>
<p>"Nah. Not if we've got enough speed." Cole looked down at the Sparco steering wheel that was installed on the car, and particularly the bright red button on the upper right that said "N20." "I've always wanted to try this out... I hope we're all ready to die."</p>
<p>Kuro looked up just in time to see Cole press it. "NOOOOO! NOT THE SHINY RED BUTTON!" Everyone flew back in their seats when the extra torque hit the wheels, and all the streetlights and buildings became an inconceivable blur. Their speed soared from easily around 160mph to now testing the borders of the 200mph mark. Using that insane velocity, Cole launched the car onto the ramp, and just like he predicted, it successfully threw them in the air. They soared over cars and pedestrians in the sky for a few seconds before inevitably landing back down on four wheels, and flooring it on the main street of the city.</p>
<p>After about ten minutes of weaving in and out of traffic at top speed and recovering from their near death experience, the gang finally arrived on the block of Smash Mansion.</p>
<p>When they were fully on campus, Raiden gave instructions on where to go. "Now, the Mansion doesn't have a parking lot, so we'll have to leave the car somewhere out of sight."</p>
<p>"Nawww, I was just gonna park the car in the middle of the goddamn garden."</p>
<p>With how expansive the surrounding plant life was around the Mansion, the gang found a section of fancy shrubs to park the car behind. Some of these shrubs were even clipped into shapes to resemble the faces of Smashers, really showing off how high quality the experience was.</p>
<p>"Alright, Kuro. How do we get in?" Raiden questioned as soon as they got out of the car.</p>
<p>Kuro scratched his head in thought for a second, then responded. "I got it! Let's head around the back of the South Wing. There's a few rooms that are empty because they're saved for new fighters that haven't been announced yet. Usually, there aren't that many guards or Smashers, so we can get in clean."</p>
<p>"Got it." Raiden pulled out three large cardboard boxes and handed each one to his fellow All Stars.</p>
<p>"Umm?" Spike guessed out loud as he held the box up.</p>
<p>"We're going to use these as portable cover," explained Raiden. "A simple, but effective old trick passed down through the generations of espionage."</p>
<p>"Do I look like the type of idiot that walks around with a box over his head," Cole asked.</p>
<p>"Yeah," agreed Spike, "I think you've been watching too much Spongebob, Raiden."</p>
<p>Kuro walked over and kicked Spike in the shin.</p>
<p>"OWW! What was that for?!"</p>
<p>"Shame on both of you," Kuro fumed. "This is one of the greatest spy tricks invented by the Master himself: Solid Snake!"</p>
<p>"Erghh..." Raiden growled, looking down at Kuro.</p>
<p>"S-Sorry. I forgot we don't say that name around you," Kuro nervously apologized.</p>
<p>The four guys panicked when they suddenly heard rustling up ahead, and everyone crouched down to the ground inside their boxes. Spike and Kuro were in a single box together since they were small enough to fit. In his box, Raiden activated his AR veil to see who it was coming through. It turns out that it was just Wii Fit, taking herself on a midnight jog through the garden.</p>
<p>"Hmm, strange," she said when she saw the three boxes lying on the middle of the ground near some shrubs. She stopped and jogged in place while she studied how odd it was to find such random objects in a random place. "Hmph." She opted to mind her own business and return to her exercise.</p>
<p>When the coast was clear, Raiden stood up and proudly cleared his throat. "It's always a pleasure to pass down what I've learned every now and then. I think you two owe me an apology."</p>
<p>"I don't owe you shit. Just take us across so I can take this thing off me," huffed Cole.</p>
<p>"Everyone, follow my lead," Raiden commanded. From where they stood, the South Wing of Smash Mansion was straight ahead, only, they had to cross through the open gardens. If they weren't careful, they could easily be spotted by wandering guards, or even by a Smasher casually glancing out of the window. The garden was well lit by light posts that sat conveniently next to the benches.</p>
<p>"Stay close to the shrubs. Crouch down as low as possible. Breathe lightly and focus on your hearing. If you pick up even a peep, stop immediately. Understood? Kuro, you watch our six."</p>
<p>"Aye, aye, sir!" Kuro was excited, because it felt like a spy mission he had seen plenty of times in movies.</p>
<p>Although Kuro saw it as fun, Raiden knew how serious the consequences could be if they got caught. But he also thought about how worth the trouble would be if he could get answers to certain questions that had plagued his mind for years. And those answers lie just ahead from one occupant in the Mansion. Tonight, he was dead set on getting it. With his AR mask on, Raiden carefully led the group across the garden.</p>
<p>Without being spotted, they finally made it to the window of one of the empty rooms. Raiden shoved the window open and vaulted inside. He got a quick scan of the room to make sure they were clear, and then reached out his arm to hoist everyone else up. After the whole gang was inside, they closed the window back and turned the light on. Cole took in the luxury of the room as he walked around. It was a completely empty room with no furniture except for a bed that didn't even have any sheets. Cole threw himself onto the bed and sighed with satisfaction.</p>
<p>"The hell are you doing? Get up," Raiden commanded.</p>
<p>"Get off my ass. If there ain't nobody staying here, who's gonna notice if the bed is rustled up a bit?"</p>
<p>"Good point!" Kuro agreed. He rushed up onto the top of the bed, and started jumping up and down.</p>
<p>"Hey! Wait for me! Ha ha!" Spike laughed as he joined Kuro.</p>
<p>Raiden looked away and growled, trying to contain his impatience. After about a minute of non stop horsing around, Raiden got the group back on track.</p>
<p>"Alright, you two, that's enough. Kuro, you said we were in the South Wing right?"</p>
<p>"Yep!"</p>
<p>Raiden thought carefully before he chose to continue with his questions. He didn't want to give away his other motive for sneaking in the Mansion with them.</p>
<p>"So… who's in this wing? I mean, who are some of the fighters staying here?"</p>
<p>Kuro jumped off the bed and replied. "There aren't any core fighters in the South Wing, because most of the Assist Fighters stay here. Let me tell ya how it works, Raiden. You've got the other three wings, the West Wing, East Wing, and North Wing. Following me?"</p>
<p>"Following…" Raiden nodded.</p>
<p>"Each wing has multiple floors, so keep that in mind. The East Wing is mostly recreational. Stuff like the gaming rooms, lounges, gyms, you get the idea. West Wing is mostly for newcomers, since they don't get to pick which rooms they stay in, or which roommate they have. That's a privilege only for the guys who stay in the North Wing, y'know, the veterans. They get to pick which room they stay, which roommate they want, and all sorts of other incentives. Oh yeah, almost forgot! Each floor for each wing has two public bathrooms, one café-"</p>
<p>"Okay, got it," Raiden cut Kuro off and turned toward the door. "You've told me everything I wanted to know. So… how do we get to the West Wing?"</p>
<p>Cole got up and dismissed Raiden's comment. "Forget the West Wing. Let's head over to the East side. Sounds like that's where the <em>real</em> action is."</p>
<p>"<em>Now</em> you're talkin'!" Spike agreed. "You said they had gaming lounges, right? So let's go check it out!"</p>
<p>"Fine," Raiden huffed. "But after that, we're going to the West Wing."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Smash Mansion (West Wing)</p>
<p>Thanks to Kuro's obsessive knowledge about the Mansion and Raiden's stealth coaching, the gang made it to the East Wing without getting caught. After that, they somehow managed to goof off for thirty whole minutes without getting caught as well. Only after their fifth round of virtual laser tag did Raiden exercise his impatience, and urge the gang to move on to the West Wing.</p>
<p>Raiden scanned the halls with his AR vision to make sure no one was around. Sure enough, the only heat signatures he picked up were already in bed.</p>
<p>"We're clear. Now give me the layout, Kuro. Who's staying in these rooms?"</p>
<p>"Right now, we're in the back of the West Wing, where most of the guys are staying. The <em>front</em> is where all the hotties are! You guys just don't understand! It's been my dream to come to Smash Mansion just to sneak into a bed occupied by a female!"</p>
<p>Raiden face palmed. "No. Out of all the brainless shenanigans you could come up with, this is definitely the kicker."</p>
<p>"Spare me the bs, Raiden, you ain't fooling us. No way there ain't at least <em>one</em> chick here you'd like to drill the brains out of."</p>
<p>Raiden turned away from them and faced toward the opposite hallway as he replied. "No. Rose is the only woman who will ever grasp my heart." Raiden looked down at his hands, and thought about his personal life. "...or whatever is left of it."</p>
<p>"Cole, come here, come here!" Kuro beckoned.</p>
<p>Cole bent down far enough for Kuro to whisper something in his ear. He whispered for about ten seconds, and a super wide grin spread across Cole's face. He started laughing and stood up.</p>
<p>"Great idea, Kuro! I swear, you actually surprise me sometimes."</p>
<p>"What? Tell me!" Spike pleaded.</p>
<p>"Two words...," Cole said while holding up two fingers, "...Panty. Raid."</p>
<p>"This is gonna be a blast! Hee hee! Oh, I got dibs on Palutena's room!"</p>
<p>"What are you kidding me?! You sound like we're going to every chick's room, but if we do <em>that</em>, we'll be caught for sure."</p>
<p>"Dagg. You're right."</p>
<p>"There ain't enough of us to do a full raid, so we gotta choose just one room, but it's gotta be goooood. I mean, we gotta go out with a bang, y'know? So think about it. Who's the crankiest bitch in here?"</p>
<p>Kuro brought his paw to his chin in thought for a second, then his eyes popped open wide when he realized who Cole was hinting at. "SAMUS?!"</p>
<p>"Yeaaah!"</p>
<p>"No way, Cole! Not only will we get caught, but we'd get <em>killed</em> for sure! This is SAMUS we're talking about! She'd show us NO mercy!"</p>
<p>"But <em>that's</em> what'll make it worth it! Imagine her hot on your ass, chasing you down with that blaster, only seconds away from death. And if we actually manage to <em>escape</em> with her goods... Kuro, we'd be legends."</p>
<p>Kuro jumped up onto Cole's chest and smacked him. "THIS IS <em>SAMUS</em>! There is no escape! Even if we did get away tonight, she'd hunt us down for the rest of our lives! I'm not as strong as you, Cole! If I get shot, I'm done for! What would Toro do without me?!"</p>
<p>Cole grabbed Kuro and threw him onto the ground. "Fine. Relax. And don't ever touch me again..."</p>
<p>Spike put the pieces together on what the other two were talking about, and shook his head. "You guys, this doesn't seem okay."</p>
<p>"Whaddya mean?" Kuro asked.</p>
<p>"You know… stealing girl's underwear. Just seems so <em>wrong</em>."</p>
<p>Cole went over and put his hand on Spike's shoulder. "Spike, you're a boy living in the twenty-first century. It's '<em>wrong</em>' for you to even breathe in a woman's direction. Now, shut up and grow some balls, because <em>you're</em> gonna be the one <em>taking </em>them."</p>
<p>"Whuh?! Me?!"</p>
<p>"Kuro and I will sneak you into the room, and you'll take the draws. Actually, scratch that. Kuro will sneak you in, and <em>I'll</em> watch to make sure no one's coming, and enjoy the show while I'm at it."</p>
<p>"But I don't want to! This isn't cool, Cole!"</p>
<p>*KATHUNK*</p>
<p>A sudden door closing, startled them against the wall. It was Little Mac, yawning and strolling by in his pajamas. He was too tired to notice the intruders clumsily spread against the wall. Once the coast was clear, they all let out a breath.</p>
<p>"Damn, that was too close. Why didn't you warn me someone was coming, Raiden?" Cole looked to his right and only saw Kuro and Spike. No traces of a cyborg anywhere.</p>
<p>"Where'd Raiden go?" Spike asked.</p>
<p>Cole huffed and shook his head. "Forget that chump. Let's get the hell out of here and onto the girls' side. No one's leaving until I see some loose panties. Got it?! Now have you made a decision who we're gonna raid? You said you wanted Palutena, right? Isn't she that pole dancing angel chick?"</p>
<p>"Actually, how about Bayonetta? She's CRAZY hot, and at least if we get caught by <em>her</em>, she'd be willing to hear us out before she castrates us!"</p>
<p>"Guess you're right about that. Know where her room is?"</p>
<p>"Of course I do! Do I look like an amateur pervert to you?! Toro and I Google Image searched her room a hundred times! Don't tell him I told you though, cause he feels pretty guilty about it. That poor goody two-shoes."</p>
<p>"Hold on, all this so-called 'knowledge' about the Mansion is just from you browsing the Internet?"</p>
<p>"You'd be surprised how deep the dark web is, Cole!"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Meanwhile in the Smash Mansion Pool House</p>
<p>"...Eight...Nine...Ten." Prompt on the ten, Cloud opened his eyes into the rippled canvas of the water, and shut them just as quickly when he saw the face of the man haunting him. He grimaced in frustration. This was the fifth time in a row it didn't work.</p>
<p>Why did it have to be <em>him</em>? Out of all the people that could've gotten invited to Smash, why did it have to be the man that literally tore apart Cloud's life? Ever since the day Sephiroth was announced, Cloud had been haunted by his past that had Sephiroth's foot prints stamped all over it. He was everywhere.</p>
<p>The true terrifying part was knowing that Sephiroth was in the very same house Cloud lived. Somewhere in the Mansion, Sephiroth was there, eagerly waiting for an opportunity for their long awaited reunion. And that's the thought that drove Cloud insane the most. How could one live in peace anticipating a fight with every step they took?</p>
<p>It was a miserable way to live, and Cloud's misery never ceased to end. It was all thanks to one stupid letter stamped with a red Smash Emblem. All it took was a piece of paper to ruin Cloud's journey with Smash Bros.</p>
<p>"Cloud?" A familiar voice called his name, yet, he responded with silence and didn't bother to acknowledge Robin and Chrom approaching him. "Cloud, why don't you come inside," continued Robin.</p>
<p>"Come on. It's been two whole days since you last slept," Chrom said. "If you keep this up, don't expect your body to cooperate when the season starts."</p>
<p>"...I'll be fine."</p>
<p>"You don't really mean that," Robin replied.</p>
<p>"No. I mean… I might leave the tournament."</p>
<p>"WHAT?!" They both shouted in unison. "But-"</p>
<p>"Nothing's final," he quickly reassured in an annoyed tone. He mostly did it just to keep them from freaking out. "...Just... an option I'm keeping open."</p>
<p>"You aren't serious about going through with this?" Chrom questioned. "Not after you came so close to victory last season! Think about it. Fans would love to see you put Bayonetta in her place! They're tired of her win streak. If anyone, <em>you're</em> the one to dethrone her!"</p>
<p>"And you can't win by drowning yourself in the pool house everyday," added Robin. Cloud's friends cheered in a light tone, unsuccessfully hoping to ease his mood.</p>
<p>Cloud shook his head. "No. Not me. If the fans want a new champion, now, they have that bastard to confide in. That's the only reason he was invited anyway? Right?"</p>
<p>He looked back to confirm his question, and the uncertain looks from Chrom and Robin told him he wasn't too far off.</p>
<p>Cloud continued, chuckling lightly to himself as he thought about the irony of it all. It was almost funny. "This tournament. Smash. It's not about the skill, or the passion a fighter has. I know plenty of people who wrote countless letters, begging to be invited. It's not enough to make it here. It's all about popularity."</p>
<p>Cloud cracked his knuckles and began walking toward the exit. "Master Hand should've come to me before the big reveal. Funny how I used to believe that he put the needs of the fighters first, but this proves it all wrong. Just like when he brought in Ridley. Samus didn't speak to anyone for weeks because of how hurt she was."</p>
<p>Cloud stopped at the double doors, looking into his reflection from the glass. No matter how many times he shut his eyes then opened back up, he could only see Sephiroth smirking from behind him.</p>
<p>"Master Hand only cares about what will get more people talking about Smash Bros. This isn't a family like he wants us to believe. It's a business. Now, he'll risk losing a fighter as quickly as he gained one…"</p>
<p>"Cloud!" Robin called out to him as he made his way back into the dormitory.</p>
<p>Chrom perched his hand onto her shoulder, gently urging her to stop her pleas. "Easy now. Let's give him some more time alone."</p>
<p>"Alone? Absolutely not! He's in <em>so</em> much distress, he -"</p>
<p>"- He needs us to back off. Nothing we say or do, will help him right now." Chrom ran his fingers through his hair, slightly pulling to relieve the stress he felt. It was hard seeing a close friend in such emotional turmoil. As he continued speaking, he focused on his own words to digest the same advice he was giving her. He needed it, because just like Robin, he wanted to drop everything and embrace Cloud in a hug to reassure him that his negative thoughts would never reflect his true worth. No matter how powerful Sephiroth was, he could never destroy the love that everyone grew to have for Cloud Strife.</p>
<p>"I've seen this happen to people before. We're shouting into an empty tunnel where he can't hear our voices, only his own footsteps. When he's ready, we'll be there with open arms to comfort him. Right now? Let him go."</p>
<p>Robin heard his words, but they passed through her like a ghost. She watched as the double doors closed, and the black silhouette behind its glass disappeared into the hallway. A single tear dripped from her eye and she felt Chrom's thumb gently wipe it away. He wrapped her up in his arms from behind and lightly squeezed her, non-verbally urging her to stay strong for their dear Cloud.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was always like therapy to walk the halls of Smash Mansion at midnight. Sure, you'd have your rough housers having a loud pillow fight, or a group of friends shrieking from a late night horror movie. But for the most part, it was usually always peaceful.</p>
<p>In Cloud's case, it was usually an excellent time for him to lose himself in the monotony of the decorated halls. Sometimes, he could find himself aimlessly roaming the halls just to relax his brain. Unfortunately for tonight, these halls reminded him of a place that used to be home, but was now turned into a makeshift hellhouse, all thanks to just one new resident.</p>
<p>With every corner he turned, he expected to see <em>him</em> standing in the middle of the hallway with that dreadful grin on his face. Cloud eventually made it to his room. He opened the door and flipped on the light, then his breath caught in his throat when he saw someone sitting faced away on his bed.</p>
<p>It was a figure, clad in black and with silver hair, so he instinctively assumed it was Sephiroth. A million thoughts began racing through his head, but when the figure stood up and slowly turned around, Cloud was further surprised by who it actually turned out to be. Raiden.</p>
<p>"You…" Cloud had to pause for a second. He hadn't seen Raiden in years, and had somehow missed him at the meet and greet. His new cybernetic upgrades was a hint that much had changed since he last seen him, but the most obvious giveaway was the metal band covering up his left eye.</p>
<p>In his hand, Raiden held a picture frame that Cloud kept on his nightstand. The picture was one of Cloud with some of the other Smashers he made good friends with, like Chrom and Robin.</p>
<p>"Tell me, Cloud, when Polygon Man invited you to Battle Royale, why did you decline?"</p>
<p>Cloud's tense body eased a little when he realized why Raiden was here. He shrugged and turned his head away from his guest. "Why does it matter?"</p>
<p>Raiden's jaw clenched tighter. Even by just seeing Cloud in front of him, he was frustrated, angry, and he wanted that answer from not just Cloud, but from Snake, Crash, and many others who turned down Polygon Man's invitation. As someone who was so passionate about the platform he built his life upon, he wanted that answer so terribly badly.</p>
<p>He let the picture frame fall out of his hand, and shatter to pieces on the floor. He took one step closer to Cloud, his right foot crunching over the glass.</p>
<p>"Let's try that again. I ask, you answer. Why didn't you join your brothers and sisters in Battle Royale?"</p>
<p>"Why don't I go the extra mile and tell you why I accepted the invitation to Smash Bros? It's because I <em>wanted</em> to. Anything wrong with that?"</p>
<p>Raiden remained silent, his mechanical jaw threatening to shatter at this point.</p>
<p>"I didn't join Battle Royale, because I didn't want to be apart of some sort of crusade to one up Nintendo. PlayStation's tournament was petty and unnecessary."</p>
<p>That last sentence hit Raiden pretty hard. Cloud could tell by the way Raiden's eye flinched.</p>
<p>Even so, Cloud kicked open his door with the heel of his boot and stood beside the doorway. "I answered your question. Now, you can leave."</p>
<p>Raiden remained still, unmoved from the spot where the remains of Cloud's coveted photo lay under his feet.</p>
<p>"Is <em>that </em>how you saw it? A 'petty crusade'?" In a steady motion, Raiden's mechanical sheath moved from his back, down to his right hip where he got prepared to draw his blade.</p>
<p>"What a delusional idiot you are. Battle Royale was so much more than what people saw on the surface. <em>Yes</em>. It was to rival Smash Bros. But it was also about being proud of where you hail from! A celebration of everything PlayStation achieved through our lives. My life. Your life. Battle Royale was PlayStation's way of saying thank you for sharing our adventures with millions of fans across the world! It was a festival of praise to honor what you, me, and Snake, had accomplished over the years!"</p>
<p>Cloud dropped his head in thought, while Raiden continued to plow through him with his words. "<em>Now</em>, do you get it, you dumbass?! Do you see how you <em>spat</em> in our faces?!"</p>
<p>Raiden released his sword from captivity, and the sharp metallic sound effect let Cloud know that Raiden was much more serious than he thought. "I don't doubt for a second that Battle Royale would still be alive if we had full support from the beginning. So I blame its demise on <em>you</em> and the bastards who betrayed us…"</p>
<p>Raiden extended his arm out and pointed his sword straight at Cloud.</p>
<p>"I'm not fighting you, Raiden."</p>
<p>"I'm not giving you a choice…"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Meanwhile with Cole and the Gang</p>
<p>Bayonetta's room wasn't hard to find, not only thanks to Kuro's creepy knowledge of the ins and outs of the Mansion, almost as if he had lived there himself. But also thanks to the decorated doors leading to the occupant's room. Some doors, like Kirby's, had simple stars plastered on. Others were more extreme, like Waluigi's door that was smothered with fan mail begging him to be made into a fully fledged fighter. In Bayonetta's case, it was like the front door of a Spencer's store, with tons of gothic decor and leather trinkets.</p>
<p>"Never understood why so many guys lost it for this chick. She has zero ass and titties."</p>
<p>Kuro quickly disagreed. "Cole, a woman is much more than her physical features. Personality is the biggest factor! I think her strong and dominating character is what the icing on the cake is for <em>me</em>!"</p>
<p>"'Dominating?' So <em>that's</em> the kink you're into, huh? HA!"</p>
<p>"Uhp, u-uh, leave me alone! Let's just do this!" Kuro cleared his throat and ran his paws together, amping himself up for what he was about to do that was just downright crazy and stupid. He went up to the door and gently pushed it open.</p>
<p>"Peak in, Kuro," ordered Cole. "Aren't cats supposed to have night vision or some crap like that?"</p>
<p>Kuro tiptoed in, and with his back flush against the wall, he shuffled over into the corner of the room where his gray fur easily blended in with the dark room. He looked and could clearly see Bayonetta's body hidden somewhere underneath a mountain of fluffy covers and pillows. Perfect. As long as they didn't make too much noise, they wouldn't wake her.</p>
<p>When the coast was clear, Cole urged Spike inside. "Go! Hurry up!"</p>
<p>"But I don't want to!"</p>
<p>"Spike, <em>go</em>! Don't think, just do it! You'll love it, trust me." Cole pushed the boy inside, throwing him right into the lion's den. Spike scurried over to Kuro, who was visibly shaking with excitement. "Are you okay, Kuro? What's the matter?"</p>
<p>"I just can't believe we're actually here! EEP!"</p>
<p>"<em>Shhh</em>! Do you wanna wake her up?!"</p>
<p>"You just don't understand, Spike, I've always dreamed of being in Bayonetta's room! Now if only I could spend the night in her bed! I could die a happy cat!"</p>
<p>"Would you just hurry up and show me what I need to do to get out of here?!" Spike shook Kuro a little, and the cat somewhat regained some of his composure.</p>
<p>"Okay, yeah. Over there!" Kuro pointed toward Bayonetta's dresser.</p>
<p>They tiptoed as fast as they could over to the other side of the room. Near the doorway, Cole tilted his head to look down into the hallway leading towards the boy's end of the floor. Some commotion was going on along with some thumping. He peeked his head back inside and urged them to hurry.</p>
<p>"Get those draws and <em>come on</em>!" He whispered in a louder tone.</p>
<p>"Which drawer is it," Spike asked, scanning the piece of furniture that had about nine different pull out shelves.</p>
<p>"How should I know?" Kuro responded. "Just start from the left and work your way across!"</p>
<p>Spike did as he was told and rummaged through each drawer. It really didn't help that he could barely see with no light, so he ended up just throwing whatever didn't feel like nylon or spandex onto the floor.</p>
<p>"Hey, what the heck is <em>this</em> thing?"</p>
<p>In his hand was a... certain object that I can't describe, or else this fic would have to be M rated.</p>
<p>"Spike! Put that thing down!"</p>
<p>*WHACK*</p>
<p>Kuro swatted the object away from the innocent boy. "Now wash your hands!"</p>
<p>"Now isn't <em>this</em> a surprise… I seem to have some guests. Mmm, how lovely…"</p>
<p>"B-B-B-Ba-Ba-Bayo-" Kuro stuttered uncontrollably, looking up at Bayonetta who didn't seem too happy to see them. Even so, Kuro still couldn't control how badly he wanted his fantasies to come true. "Bayonetta! MARRY ME!"</p>
<p>"WE'RE OUTTA HERE! COME ON!" Spike grabbed Kuro and bolted for the door.</p>
<p>Cole heard the ruckus and peeked his head inside. "What's going on in-OOF!"</p>
<p>Spike and Kuro flew open the door, knocking Cole out of the way.</p>
<p>"HURRY, COLE!" Spike called.</p>
<p>"MISSION FAILED! MISSION FAILED! WE'RE <em>SO </em>DEAD!" Kuro shouted while riding on Spike's back.</p>
<p>Cole whipped his head to the left and saw what they were running from; a pissed off witch shaking her head in pity for her intruders. Cole got up and sprinted down the hallway with the other two.</p>
<p>"Ugh. What should I do with those little devils?" She groaned and walked back to her bed, figuring they weren't worth the time when she'd rather be getting some sleep instead. But then, she noticed a peculiar object lying on the ground. It was Kuro's bowtie, and an idea crossed her mind that she couldn't pass up, no matter <em>how</em> tired she was. "Hmm. Well they <em>do</em> need to be punished. This could be amusing…"</p>
<p>The gang was halfway down the hall when they turned a corner and was greeted by Bayonetta standing in the middle, waiting for them.</p>
<p>"EEEP!"</p>
<p>"SHIT! OTHER WAY! OTHER WAY! GO!" Cole pushed them the opposite direction and he led them by running toward the back of the West Wing.</p>
<p>Hallway after hallway, Bayonetta poofed in front of them, taunting them, and giving them a false sense of hope that they would get out alive. Eventually, the gang ran even closer to where that loud commotion was, and that's when Bayonetta appeared in front of them for the last time. She raised her voice, not giving a care to her fellow fighters trying to sleep.</p>
<p>"STOP!"</p>
<p>They skidded to a halt dead in their tracks.</p>
<p>"Stay…"</p>
<p>Neither of them dared to move a muscle.</p>
<p>Bayonetta smiled at their obedience. "Good dogs."</p>
<p>Cole facepalmed when he realized he had just been made somebody's bitch. "Listen, lady, it's the kid's first panty raid." Cole said while pointing toward Spike. "We were just having a little fun. So you can go back to your digs, and pretend this was all just a bad dream."</p>
<p>"Mm hmm. Fun at the expense of a woman's privacy? Tsk. Tsk. <em>Bad</em> dog."</p>
<p>Cole growled, getting quickly frustrated at her attitude, and being treated like an animal.</p>
<p>She continued, "I seemed to have stumbled upon this little souvenir of your company." She held out the red bowtie.</p>
<p>"MY BOWTIE!" Kuro shouted.</p>
<p>"Gotcha," Bayonetta chirped, smirking at Kuro, who easily gave himself up. "As much as I'd love to hang on to this, I'm afraid it just wouldn't be appropriate. <em>But</em>…" She took the bowtie and flipped it up in the air. The guys all watched as the bowtie danced in the air, and slowly descended until it just happened to land wedged right in between her cleavage. "If you want it, you're gonna have to play fetch."</p>
<p>"DON'T HAVE TO TELL <em>ME</em> TWICE!"</p>
<p>"Don't! It's a trap!" Cole grabbed Kuro before the cat could do anything more stupid.</p>
<p>But their late night shenanigans were still interrupted by whatever that commotion was next to them. It had gotten noticeably loud, and they all turned their heads to the room next to them, which had happened to be Cloud's room.</p>
<p>*KABLAM*</p>
<p>Next thing they knew, they were shielding their eyes from an explosion of rubble from the wall of Cloud's room. When the dust cleared, they were horrified at what they saw. Cloud and Raiden were brutally wrestling on the ground, punching, thrashing, and desperately trying to get an advantage over one another. Raiden focused a punch into Cloud's gut, and followed it up with a crescent kick to his chin. With Cloud temporarily stunned, Raiden got up and grabbed him by a lock of his hair and threw him against the wall across from them.</p>
<p>"CLOUD?!" Bayonetta called out. She looked at Raiden and demanded an answer for the violence. "YOU! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"</p>
<p>Befroe she could warrant any more concern for her fellow fighter, Cloud launched himself from the wall, ready to utilize his fully charged Cross-Slash. Unfortunately for him, Raiden saw it coming a mile away, and a large gleam of red burst forth through his right eye. Raiden let himself go fully into his Ripper territory.</p>
<p>"Raiden, stop," shouted Kuro. "Cloud is your brother! Not your enemy!"</p>
<p>Raiden laughed with no remorse as he dodged Cloud's series of slashes. And even though Raiden's sword was much smaller compared to the famed Buster, he made up for it with sheer skill, letting his HF blade predict every arc of Cloud's swings. As much as he wanted to, Cloud was struggling to keep up with Raiden. Chrom was right. He was in no condition to fight. All he could hear was the song of clangs composed by their two swords, and the fleeting breath he was quickly losing.</p>
<p>Sensing his opponent at his breaking point, Raiden pushed his pace even further, making full use of all his limbs now. After a blinding slash that successfully struck Cloud's abdomen, Raiden swiftly transitioned to a hand stand where he grasped his blade with the heel of his right foot, and twirled around with his feet fully extended in the air. From a spectator's view, it looked like Raiden was break dancing, but all Cloud could see was slash after slash that broke any remaining defense he once had. Raiden finished off his signature move with a cart wheel that cut like a shuriken, and now back on his feet, he shoved his palm square into Cloud's chest, sending him flying right back into the wall.</p>
<p>Raiden laughed even louder as he approached the near unconscious Cloud with his sword in hand. Raiden had no intent on killing Cloud, of course, but years of hatred and regret fueled the cyborg's drive, and it just felt too good to stop right now. If he could have it his way, Raiden would carve every insult that he heard given to Battle Royale, into Cloud's body. All just for revenge.</p>
<p>Before Raiden could get any closer, a flash of silver knocked him clean off his feet. While in mid-air, another bolt of silver followed, too quick to see, and sent him careening toward Bayonetta. She simply stepped aside, and let Raiden crash beside her feet. She looked at Cloud, then Raiden, then back at the perpetrator who intervened in the fight. It was none other than the one-winged angel himself.</p>
<p>Sephiroth turned toward Cloud with that eerie smile on his face. "Only by <em>my</em> hand, will you succumb to defeat."</p>
<p>Even though he'd just been involved in a savage fight, Cloud's heart beat faster than ever now that he saw his enemy up close for the first time in a long while. He writhed in a beaten and bloody mess as he was, and begged his body to give him strength to at least get back up. Now, people were coming out of their rooms to see the fight. It wasn't too rare for fellow fighters to get into a midnight friendly tussle, but tonight, people stared with their jaws dropped, because it was clear that this definitely was no ordinary encounter.</p>
<p>Raiden rose back to his feet and his scarlet eye glared at the other swordsman. "Sephiroth."</p>
<p>"It is I."</p>
<p>In a fast motion, nearly as quick as Sephiroth, Raiden launched himself at him. Their swords met with a loud clang that sent a gust of wind nearly blowing everyone's clothes away.</p>
<p>"We need to stop this," one of the Mii Brawler's called out. "Someone get the dorm director!"</p>
<p>"On it," said one of the Inklings before she rushed to retrieve Princess Daisy. Unlucky for Daisy, she had been picked to supervise this floor of the West Wing for the week.</p>
<p>Due to Sephiroth's immense range, Raiden had to change up his technique a tad bit. Instead of frequent and rapid slashes, he focused on precise, fluid, and well-timed strikes that he hoped would open up to an opportunity for him to go berserk again. In Sephiroth's eyes, it was a treat to fight Raiden, who was somebody vastly different from the average swordsman. The cyborg's lethal combination of traditional and capoeira techniques kept Sephiroth on his toes. After a successful aerial kick, Raiden got what he asked for, and found himself close enough to Sephiroth to do some serious damage.</p>
<p>He grasped his sword with his foot again and unleashed a series of lightning fast flurry kicks that seemed to never stop, until Sephiroth ended it with a well timed thrust to Raiden's core when he saw an opening. Raiden shifted back, ignoring the pain that only seemed to annoy him. But he couldn't help but be amused when he saw what he achieved mere seconds ago, thanks to the look on Sephiroth's face.</p>
<p>Everyone in the hallway stood in complete awe when they also saw what Raiden had done. A lock of hair, fresh from Sephiroth's left bang, fluttered to the ground where it gently landed perfectly in between the two men. Sephiroth took his hand and gently caressed his damaged hair with the tips of his fingers. As calm and collected as he always was, in this moment, nothing could hide the fact that he'd been caught off guard. If it wasn't for Raiden being cautious with his aim, the cut could've been to something much more important than Sephiroth's hair. Everyone gazed, quietly, anticipating what the next move would be, and who would make it.</p>
<p>Despite his accomplishment, Raiden refused to let it transform into a smile to his face. He refused to let Sephiroth see his amusement. This wasn't meant to be practice. It wasn't meant to be a body count game. Sephiroth needed to know that through his blade, raged the passion of the biggest Battle Royale fan… Raiden himself. Sephiroth needed to know that even though the passion of the fans was dead, the soul of the tournament still burned fiercely through his sword. And as Raiden tightened his grip on his weapon to prepare for an inevitable counterattack, he was ready to act on his vengeance more than ever. Sephiroth fingers left his hair and returned to the side of his coat. He took a single breath. And through that breath, Cloud could tell that Sephiroth was no longer playing around. He was angry. And an angry angel is never a good thing…</p>
<p>"Impressive. But… <em>I</em> can do better."</p>
<p>Cloud could see what was coming and desperately called out in a rushed plea in order to prevent a disaster. "SEPHIROTH!"</p>
<p>Even though Raiden was poised to counter, he still couldn't anticipate Sephiroth's blistering speed, because in less than a second, the Masamune was eating away at the alloy of Raiden's sword. "GHNK!" Raiden struggled to keep his eyes open due to the sparks fluttering in his eyes. Raiden replanted his feet and adjusted to where his free hand supported the tip of his sword. It was a desperate but fruitless attempt to match Sephiroth's strength. Taking a quick glance at his sword, Raiden noticed that Sephiroth's blade was already halfway through his own.</p>
<p>"HURGH!" In sheer desperation, Raiden tried to reposition his sword to keep it from being broken, but it was already well locked in. It was too late.</p>
<p>"Enough games."</p>
<p>Before Raiden could even process Sephiroth's words, a terrible sound, like shattering glass, exploded and filled the hallway with its piercing echo, silencing everyone from the moment it happened. Raiden looked down and saw the very thing he so desperately tried to prevent. It was his HF blade, only sliced clean in half. He held the broken sword, one hand on the hilt and the other grasping the blade, as if he was still fighting for dominance with the Masamune. But Sephiroth had long ended that contest, because he stood behind Raiden with his sword still outstretched, suggesting that with his attack, he could've also sliced through Raiden if he desired it. He calmly drew back his sword, tucking it behind him in his iconic pose, and leaving his opponent to fall on his knees.</p>
<p>Sephiroth turned around and spoke to Raiden like a disappointed father. "Let this be a revelation. A glimpse of what's to come… if you proceed with your childlike tantrums. There is no PlayStation. There is no Nintendo. There is only victory, and defeat. Victory is the obvious choice, so that is what I chose. I assume Cloud would tell you the same…" Sephiroth looked out in the corner of his eye. Cloud was struggling so hard not to strike Sephiroth. Yet, he knew that in his current state, it would be no contest.</p>
<p>With Raiden speechless on his knees, some spectators even started laughing and mocking the outcome of the battle.</p>
<p>Cole himself was shocked but approached Sephiroth to avenge Raiden's dignity. "God dammit, Raiden. Had to go and get yourself made a laughingstock?" Cole focused his raw energy into his right fist, letting it charge all the way up until his notorious Giga Punch was ready for launch.</p>
<p>Cole turned toward Sephiroth and snickered. "Eh. Don't matter anyways. 'Cause imma 'bout to knock you into your next remake."</p>
<p>Daisy's angry voice invaded the tense space, and let everyone know that the fight was over now. She stormed up to everyone, still in her nightgown, and ready to beat down both Cole <em>and</em> Sephiroth, and whoever else was disturbing the peace of the night. "WHAT'S THIS I HEAR ABOUT A FIGHT?! THERE BETTER BE A GOOD EXPLA-" She paused when she scanned the crowd and saw the people that stood out the most and clearly weren't supposed to be there. "Hey! How did you get in here?! Get out this instant! I'm calling Master Hand!"</p>
<p>With his sword still tucked behind his back, Sephiroth calmly began approaching Daisy. "Be eased, Your Highness. What you see here is a reunion between old friends." Sephiroth pushed the bang that wasn't cut behind his ear, and gently leaned in to calm Daisy even further with his oddly soothing tone. "There is no warrant to involve higher authority. Your forgiveness would suffice enough, if we are so blessed to receive it."</p>
<p>His eerie demeanor melted her tough exterior, and she replied softer than what she would've liked. "S-Sephiroth..." He responded by letting his grin creep <em>just</em> a couple of centimeters. It was all that was required to crack her shell and bend her to his will. "...Okay," Daisy concluded, nodding her head once and stepping out from his overbearing presence. "E-Everyone back to bed! No more horsing around!"</p>
<p>All spectators did as they were told, and trudged back to their rooms. Sephiroth took one last look at Raiden, who was still on his knees in a miserable mess on the floor, swimming in a trance of trauma.</p>
<p>His gaze shifted toward Cloud, who was leaning against the wall, holding his abdomen in pain. "Cloud. I will see you <em>very</em> soon. Take care of yourself until then."</p>
<p>"Tch," Chrom grunted and placed himself by Cloud's side; his hand on Falchion's sheath.</p>
<p>Sephiroth turned around and began disappearing down the hall. Despite their distances apart growing more and more, Sephiroth always seemed to have never left. He seemed to always be there. Right next to Cloud... taunting him, and torturing him with his company.</p>
<p>Princess Daisy stormed up to the four intruders and commanded them to depart as well. "You four! Out!"</p>
<p>"P-P-P-P-Pri-Pri-Princ-" Kuro stuttered.</p>
<p>"Hey! You're that strange cat that was fishing for my used napkins out of the trash a few nights ago! OUUUUT!"</p>
<p>After a few minutes, the only people that remained in the hallway were Cloud, Chrom, Robin, and Bayonetta, who only stayed around because it would be too hard for her to go back to sleep at this point.</p>
<p>"Oh, gods. Look at you," gasped Robin as she surveyed Cloud's bruised body.</p>
<p>"Let's get him to the Medical Bay. I'll give you hand," Chrom said. He put his arm around Cloud's back, under his shoulder, and helped him walk over to further diagnose his injuries.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Smash Mansion (Medical Wing)</p>
<p>A few potions patched up Cloud's body for the most part, but there was no medicine that could cure the sheer exhaustion, and mental injury he suffered just from seeing Sephiroth up close again. He sat on the medical bed, looking at the blank wall while Robin and Chrom cleaned up, and Bayonetta stood against the wall with her arms crossed. She pitied Cloud's behavior, but she knew another lecture wouldn't encourage him to accept that his worst nightmare was here to stay. She took herself off the wall and walked over closer to Cloud.</p>
<p>"Time to fess up, darling. You'd better tell us what really happened back there. 'Cause it's more than obvious angel-boy was fibbing about it being a mere get-together."</p>
<p>That's when Cloud told them everything from the moment he discovered Raiden in his room. "...and it was all for revenge."</p>
<p>Chrom took his fist and banged it against the wall. "All of this violence over a game?! Bastard. I'll-"</p>
<p>"None of it matters," Cloud quickly cut off before Chrom could get to thinking about a quest to avenge his ally.</p>
<p>Chrom came around to Cloud's side and continued. "Damn it, Cloud. Did you suffer more damage to the head than we thought?! Raiden came and attacked you in your own home."</p>
<p>"THIS ISN'T MY HOME," Cloud yelled right into Chrom's face. Chrom backed up, grimacing at Cloud's tone. "It never was," Cloud finished, flinging the blankets off of him, and standing up.</p>
<p>"And just where the hell do you think you're going?" Bayonetta grabbed Cloud by the arm before he could go away. He looked back and saw concern in her eyes. "Hate to remind you, dear, but you just had your ass handed to you not too long ago. You're getting back on that cot, and you're getting some rest."</p>
<p>Cloud shook his head and snapped his arm away from her hold and began walking toward the exit.</p>
<p>"Cloud!" Bayonetta called. "Get back here!"</p>
<p>"Cloud! Where are you going?!" Robin called out.</p>
<p>"LEAVE HIM!" Chrom's voice, oozing with anger and sadness, burst through the hollow medical room. The two women looked over at him, who had his back turned away from them. A shadow cast over his face hid his features, but it was still plain as day that he was hurt to see a close friend giving them the cold shoulder. They listened to Chrom, as well as the sound of Cloud's boots as he disappeared down the hallway.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Humiliation. A strong and powerful force that most people hope to never encounter. So imagine how Raiden felt when he arrived back to the hotel without a piece of him that largely defined who he was. A master swordsman, no longer with a sword. He was silent the entire ride back, and Cole, nor the other two dared to address the topic. Everyone went up to their rooms, except for Raiden, who opted to spend a little while longer with himself. He sat in the lobby, which was thankfully empty.</p>
<p>After almost an hour of just staring at the infomercial marathon on TV, he heard a knock on the entrance door and groaned. He definitely wasn't the receptionist, but a quick distraction from his problems couldn't hurt. Raiden got up, dismissing himself from his private pity party, and made his way over to the entrance. He flipped the switch that unlocked the sliding double doors, and when the doors slid open to reveal who it was, it almost knocked Raiden back on his behind. The man that stood before him was the very last person he'd expect to see or even <em>want</em> to see in the first place. For the final surprise for the night, it was Cloud of all people standing in the doorway.</p>
<p>He picked up his head and finally spoke. "I need a place to sleep tonight."</p>
<p>Raiden swallowed deeply and narrowed his eye at his guest. Cloud was drenched from top to bottom. He then looked past Cloud's shoulders and saw Fenrir parked outside. <em>"Did he ride all the way over here through the rain? Hmph. What's his issue?" </em>Looking back into Cloud, he saw the usual stone cold look in his eyes, but with further inspection, Raiden could see something hidden deep inside. Something that only someone with an assassin's eye would notice... It was fear. It was the same fear in his eyes when Sephiroth spoke before he left.</p>
<p>
  <em>"'Cloud. I will see you very soon...'"</em>
</p>
<p>All at once, everything clicked in Raiden's head, and he felt an immediate wave of remorse overtake his soul. <em>"Damn you, Cloud. How did I not see this earlier?"</em></p>
<p>Raiden turned his head away to the left. Now that his anger subsided, it was hard to look at him, even feeling a little guilty to how far the fight went. Without word, he stepped aside and made enough space in the doorway for Cloud to walk in. Cloud hesitated before he eventually made his way inside. He wiped his wet boots on the rug and walked into the lobby until he stopped by the sofa. He just couldn't help but hesitate even more. Was it really a good idea to spend the night in the home of the people that hated you, even if they were once your family?</p>
<p>A million thoughts and emotions were raging inside his body, yet Raiden could identify them all just by Cloud standing still. Raiden swallowed again, and finally put his voice to use.</p>
<p>"What about your home? At the Mansion?"</p>
<p>With his back turned toward Raiden, Cloud shut his eyes and sighed, finally ready to admit out loud what he'd been feeling for the past month since his nemesis moved in.</p>
<p>"...I have no home."</p>
<p>Cloud opened his eyes to see Raiden's shadow cast over him on the floor. A comforting hand placed on his left shoulder eased Cloud as his rival replied.</p>
<p>"Yes you do. ...You always have."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you made it this far in the story, thanks! I hope you're enjoying it. The car Evil Cole 'borrowed' is from the intro of a game called Street Racing Syndicate. It's a pure early 2000s street racing game that is pretty much forgotten. I love NFSUG2 and Midnight Club 3 as much as the next guy, but SRS is a sleeper that I had to give a shout out to.</p>
<p>Lastly, I had to give a shout out to Xbox in this chapter, especially since I'm a self proclaimed fanboy (ironic that I'm writing for Nintendo and Sony characters huh?). But the Series X is so AWESOME! If only I could find one to buy! F*** you scalpers! Anyways, stay tuned for more.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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